Trump Media merges with nuclear fusion firm TAE in $6 billion deal

The parent company of Truth Social, Trump Media and Technology Group, is merging with the private nuclear fusion firm TAE Technologies in a deal valued at approximately $6 billion. 

This unexpected move aims to shift the struggling media company towards energy infrastructure. It is intended to “help America win the AI revolution.”

The merger is expected to close in mid-2026. It will create one of the world’s first publicly traded nuclear fusion companies.

According to a press release, the combined entity plans to begin construction on a utility-scale fusion power plant later in 2026. The facility is projected to produce 50 megawatts of energy, sufficient to power roughly 15,000 homes.

TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer will serve as co-CEO alongside Devin Nunes from Trump Media. Binderbauer informed investors that the company is targeting “first power” by 2031. “We’re excited to identify our first site and begin deploying this revolutionary technology,” Binderbauer stated.

Nuclear fusion mimics the process that powers the sun, offering the theoretical promise of limitless, clean energy without the radioactive waste associated with fission or the risk of meltdowns.

However, significant technical and economic challenges remain. As of now, no company has successfully built a reactor that reliably generates electricity on a commercial scale. Additionally, the costs are currently much higher than those for solar or wind energy.

Trump Media shares, which are down roughly 70% this year, jumped more than 20% following the announcement. TAE Technologies, founded in 1998, counts Google and Goldman Sachs among its backers.

Helion Energy, backed by Sam Altman, has committed to supplying fusion electricity to Microsoft data centers by 2028, joining a competitive race.