Trump Administration Submits Saudi Nuclear Deal to Congress Amid Proliferation Concerns

The Trump administration has officially submitted a proposed civil nuclear energy agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, initiating a mandatory 90-day review period. This landmark deal, reached in July, would pave the way for U.S. companies to export civilian nuclear technology to the Kingdom and potentially facilitate the construction of Westinghouse AP1000 reactors, a project valued in the tens of billions of dollars and beneficial to Westinghouse, jointly owned by Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management.

The agreement's progression is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, a condition reiterated by an administration official. President Trump has publicly stated that the pact would prevent Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium, emphasizing in a social media post, "There will be no enrichment of material!" However, the deal has drawn criticism from nonproliferation experts and some Democratic lawmakers. A key point of contention is the absence of a permanent prohibition on uranium enrichment or reprocessing. Instead, the pact proposes a U.S.-built and operated enrichment facility, subject to a two-year feasibility study.

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Pres. Trump sends nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for review, according to WSJ

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Matthew Kroenig, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, expressed concern that the deal might compromise established nonproliferation standards, stating that strengthening the relationship with Riyadh should not come at the expense of these crucial measures. He anticipates the feasibility study will recommend that Saudi Arabia rely on imported fuel-cycle services, a preferable outcome to exporting bomb-making capabilities to the volatile region. Erin Dumbacher of the Council on Foreign Relations noted that the agreement deviates from the stringent nonproliferation measures typically insisted upon by the U.S. She warned that this could create a "slippery slope," potentially leading to more countries acquiring nuclear material without adequate oversight, increasing the risks of accidents, security breaches, and further proliferation.

The submission of this deal comes at a time when the global nuclear order is already facing strain. Saudi Arabia has previously indicated that it would only normalize ties with Israel if an independent Palestinian state is recognized and has stated it would pursue nuclear weapons capability if Iran develops one.