Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy says his plan to put a nuclear reactor on the moon is part of his plain to "get there first and claim that for America."

WASHINGTON (CNN) - NASA wants the United States to be the first nation to put a nuclear reactor on the moon. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has directed the space agency to fast-track plans to do just that. Duffy, who is also the transportation secretary, explained the reasoning in a news conference on drones Tuesday.

NASA is accelerating its vision to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, an ambitious initiative that aligns with the United States’ renewed focus on lunar exploration. According to a recent report by Politico,