Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Apr. 05, 2025	Mar. 30, 2024
Statement Of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net earnings before noncontrolling interests		$ 226	$ 959
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (loss) on hedging derivatives, net of income taxes of $3 and $(2) for the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, respectively		10	(5)
Reclassification adjustment for settlement of hedging derivatives included in net earnings, net of income taxes of $1 and $2 for the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, respectively	[1]	3	5
Foreign currency translation loss, net of income taxes of $0 for the first quarter of 2025 and 2024		(3)	(15)
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss)		10	(15)
Comprehensive income		236	944
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests		70	114
Comprehensive income attributable to Nucor stockholders		$ 166	$ 830

[1] Includes $3 and $5 net-of-tax impact of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) reclassifications into cost of products sold for net losses on commodity contracts in the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, respectively. The tax impact of those reclassifications was $1 and $2 in the first quarter of 2025 and 2024, respectively.