Trump to approve nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia despite regional proliferation risks

Trump to approve nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia despite regional proliferation risks US President Donald Trump has reportedly approved a 30-year civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, granting Riyadh access to American reactor technology despite fears that this could trigger a nuclear arms race with Iran, two US news outlets reported on Wednesday. Trump's pending signature on the civil nuclear pact and security agreement will allow the proposal to advance to Congress for formal review, according to both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. If approved, the deal would pave the way for tens of billions of dollars in profits for American companies tasked with building Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure, while reviving a long-standing debate among US lawmakers over nuclear proliferation risks in the Middle East.

Expected to be signed this week, the accord will be finalised by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who first met to discuss the deal in April 2025, the Journal reported. While Trump officials argue US involvement will ensure the kingdom's civilian program will not be diverted toward weapons production, the deal fails to resolve broader nonproliferation concerns. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); And US lawmakers trying to stop it face major legislative hurdles, needing a two-thirds vote to overcome an inevitable presidential veto.

Safeguard concerns The deal's primary risk lies in its potential path toward domestic uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing, which are the two main methods for producing the essential material for nuclear weapons. Beyond supplying initial reactors and tech, the agreement requires the US firms to conduct a two-year study on the viability of domestic Saudi uranium enrichment. Should the study approve, Americans would construct and manage the enrichment plant under a "black box" system, keeping sensitive technology strictly out of Saudi hands.

Trump approves nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia: Report US President Donald Trump has officially approved a landmark agreement with Saudi Arabia that will provide the Gulf country with a civilian nuclear program, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials. The new deal, which would last 30 years, could potentially make way for uranium enrichment in the kingdom's territory. The initiative is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, and is designed to give US companies a key role in developing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure while shutting out other foreign competitors.

While Trump administration officials argue that US influence over the Gulf country's nuclear program is to avoid it from being misused, the deal is controversial among US lawmakers who oppose the spread of nuclear technology in the region. The deal is set to be submitted to congress for review in the coming days.