I don't think this is true. Ask people how they feel about nuclear energy. Then ask them how they feel about living near a nuclear plant. Regulations are difficult to navigate but if there is sufficient want and need then they will be navigated. See any government contract work.

I'm sorry but this is just not true. There is a large amount of difference between navigating regulation a software contract or a road compared to a nuclear plant.

Its quite literally impossible to operate a prototype reactor for example. You literally need to build a production version on your first try to even get fissile materials.

To actually being able to regulate something you need to pay the DoE and they don't even give you a timeline. "Hallo I like to build this new reactor, here are the plans", "Thanks now give us 100M$ and 2-4 years and then we will tell you all the things that we required, then you can submit it again (with more money of course)".

The nuclear industry isn't very good at making reactors, but nuclear proponents are really good at making excuses.