The parent firm of US President Donald Trump’s social media platform Truth Social, Trump Media, a fusion energy firm called TAE, has merged, and the move has seen the share price of Trump Media jump by nearly 25% following the news, though it “slumped by about 70% in the past year.” The companies have agreed to an all-stock mergertactic that will see the “combined entity” develop “the world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant” beginning in 2026, and will give the “shareholders of both companies approximately 50% of the combined entity.”In a statement to news agency AFP on Monday, Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes described this move “a big step forward toward a revolutionary technology that will cement America’s global energy dominance for generations to come.” Nunes and CEO of TAE Michl Binderbauer will be “co-CEOs of the combined company” with Michael Schwab at its board helm and even including Donald Trump Jr.The deal is “expected to close by mid-2026,” though it still “requires shareholder and regulatory approval” before it can be finalised. When it is finalized, this new company will be able to pursue its aim of starting plant construction in 2026.
What is fusion power and why it can be important to meet AI energy demands
Fusion power plants would produce electricity using the same process that powers the Sun, an objective that researchers have pursued for years. However, no commercially viable facility has been built despite decades of development.This uncommon partnership emerges as the Trump administration promotes energy-intensive AI technology that will necessitate a substantial expansion of power generation capacity.AI data centres are putting growing pressure on US electrical grids, and the White House is advocating expedited approval of energy projects to meet demand.TAE Technologies, established in 1998, claims its fusion technology could provide abundant electricity to support AI infrastructure.The California-headquartered company has constructed five fusion reactors and has a workforce of more than 400 people, including 62 individuals with PhD degrees, according to a statement.The firm has managed to raise over $1.3 billion from investors such as Google, Chevron, and Goldman Sachs. It has also promised to provide a cash contribution of a maximum of $300 million to TAE. Trump Media has also launched various projects in the past few months, such as financial services based on cryptocurrency and online video streaming, though their revenue during the first half-year period of 2025 was merely $1.7 million.
