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Trump Media is merging with a Google-backed fusion energy company in a deal worth $6 billion
Trump media, the company behind the president's personal social media platform Truth Social, is inexplicably merging with a Google-backed fusion energy company called TAE Technologies. The deal is worth $6 billion, according to reporting by Financial Times.
Why is an entity known for publishing frenzied hot takes by the president at 3AM combining with a fusion energy company? Who the heck really knows, but a statement says the two organizations will join together to build the "world's first utility-scale fusion power plant." This would be huge, if true, as there are currently no operational commercial nuclear fusion power plants.
📣TAE Technologies, a premier global fusion power company, to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group to create one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion companies.Join our joint investor call at 9 am ET today to learn more: https://t.co/3ccBmMY5qrRead more:… pic.twitter.com/f7TYQS4jQp— TAE Technologies (@TAE) December 18, 2025
We know what TAE would bring to the table in that scenario. The energy company has been around since the 1990s and has attracted interest from Google, Chevron and others. Trump Media would be a great partner when building a reactor powered by insults, but doesn't seem to offer much of anything else.
The merger statement does mention that Trump Media would provide TAE with "access to significant capital." The company lost $55 million last quarter, as there's only so much money in a social media platform primarily used by just one person.
However, the president himself is likely the world's most renowned raiser of funds when it comes to personal pet projects. He knows how to get a roomful of billionaires to open up their wallets, provide copious compliments and even hand-deliver gold statues. The terms of the deal state that Trump Media will provide TAE with $300 million in capital as a bonus of sorts, though we don't know where that money is coming from as it represents over ten percent of the company's entire valuation.
This is an all-stock deal and stocks aren't exactly immune from the manipulative whims of billionaires. To that end, shares in Trump Media have risen dramatically since this deal was announced. President Trump shifted his stake in the company to a revocable trust that he is the sole beneficiary of and is controlled by Donald Trump Jr.
There's also the potential notion of using access to shore up federal support for grants, low-interest loans and permit approvals. That kind of thing seems particularly thorny and, to put it mildly, legally gray.
Creating a power plant for large-scale nuclear fusion would be an incredible undertaking and it's something humanity has yet to figure out. TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer told CNN the newly-formed company will have it done in "five-ish years." Most experts put that time frame in the "30-ish years" category.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-media-is-merging-with-a-google-backed-fusion-energy-company-in-a-deal-worth-6-billion-180910779.html?src=rss
Why is an entity known for publishing frenzied hot takes by the president at 3AM combining with a fusion energy company? Who the heck really knows, but a statement says the two organizations will join together to build the "world's first utility-scale fusion power plant." This would be huge, if true, as there are currently no operational commercial nuclear fusion power plants.
📣TAE Technologies, a premier global fusion power company, to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group to create one of the world’s first publicly traded fusion companies.Join our joint investor call at 9 am ET today to learn more: https://t.co/3ccBmMY5qrRead more:… pic.twitter.com/f7TYQS4jQp— TAE Technologies (@TAE) December 18, 2025
We know what TAE would bring to the table in that scenario. The energy company has been around since the 1990s and has attracted interest from Google, Chevron and others. Trump Media would be a great partner when building a reactor powered by insults, but doesn't seem to offer much of anything else.
The merger statement does mention that Trump Media would provide TAE with "access to significant capital." The company lost $55 million last quarter, as there's only so much money in a social media platform primarily used by just one person.
However, the president himself is likely the world's most renowned raiser of funds when it comes to personal pet projects. He knows how to get a roomful of billionaires to open up their wallets, provide copious compliments and even hand-deliver gold statues. The terms of the deal state that Trump Media will provide TAE with $300 million in capital as a bonus of sorts, though we don't know where that money is coming from as it represents over ten percent of the company's entire valuation.
This is an all-stock deal and stocks aren't exactly immune from the manipulative whims of billionaires. To that end, shares in Trump Media have risen dramatically since this deal was announced. President Trump shifted his stake in the company to a revocable trust that he is the sole beneficiary of and is controlled by Donald Trump Jr.
There's also the potential notion of using access to shore up federal support for grants, low-interest loans and permit approvals. That kind of thing seems particularly thorny and, to put it mildly, legally gray.
Creating a power plant for large-scale nuclear fusion would be an incredible undertaking and it's something humanity has yet to figure out. TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer told CNN the newly-formed company will have it done in "five-ish years." Most experts put that time frame in the "30-ish years" category.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/trump-media-is-merging-with-a-google-backed-fusion-energy-company-in-a-deal-worth-6-billion-180910779.html?src=rss
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