Topline
The Trump administration has reached a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, which will allow the country to enrich fuel on its soil for a civilian nuclear program, according to multiple reports, in a move that comes amid broader concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speak as they arrive during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Leaders’ Summit.
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Key Facts
Citing unnamed administration officials, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump has approved the deal, which is expected to last 30 years and be worth tens of billions of dollars
The report noted that the deal is structured to allow U.S. companies to play a key role in building out the kingdom’s civilian nuclear infrastructure, including an American-built uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, if needed.
According to the New York Times, the deal will be formally signed and announced on Wednesday, after which details will be shared with Congress for review.
The deal could face pushback from some lawmakers on both parties amid concerns about proliferation of nuclear technology in the Middle East and ongoing efforts to force Iran to curb its nuclear program.
According to both reports, the Saudi leadership only agreed to limited international inspections of the nuclear sites—intended to prevent enriched fuel from being used for nuclear weapons.
Tangent
Saudi Arabia nuclear deal talks have been ongoing for years, with the Biden administration linking it to normalization of ties between the kingdom and Israel—which were sidetracked following the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent occupation of Gaza. According to the Journal, Trump has delinked the two issues and is pursuing a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia separate from his administration’s push to get Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords.
What Has The Saudi Leader Said About Nuclear Weapons?
Saudi Crown Prince and de facto leader Mohammad Bin Salman has repeatedly stated that his country will acquire a nuclear weapon the moment Iran does so. In a 2018 interview with CBS News, Bin Salman said: “Saudi Arabia does not want to acquire any nuclear bomb, but without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.” Salman was asked about Iran potentially acquiring nuclear weapons again in a Fox News interview in 2023. He said: “We are concerned about any country getting a nuclear weapon…If they get one, we have to get one for security reasons, for balancing power in the Middle East, but we don’t want to see that.”