US, Saudis sign nuclear partnership

US, Saudis sign nuclear partnership

by Laura Kelly - 07/22/26 5:48 PM ET

The Trump administration on Wednesday announced what it described as a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, hailing it as an economic triumph. But critics and nuclear experts have raised concerns around safeguards to prevent Riyadh from developing a nuclear weapon.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, the Minister of Energy His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, signed the agreement. The announcement noted the deal is a "123 agreement," adhering to U.S. federal law requiring the partner country to meet nonproliferation and security objectives.

The administration said the nuclear cooperation agreement lays the groundwork for a "decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation."

"The 123 agreement provides great access for American companies in the Saudi nuclear energy program, benefiting American industry, workers, and supply chains while helping to meet Saudi energy needs," the administration said in its statement.

The agreement will be transmitted to Congress for review.

The administration described the pact as a boon to the U.S. economy, adding it would strengthen America's energy and national security posture, reinforce global nonproliferation standards and deepen ties between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

The nuclear agreement, which was reported by the Wall Street Journal and other outlets late Tuesday, drew backlash from Democrats and nuclear experts who said the reported details raised questions about adequate safeguards and dangerous sidelining of international nuclear energy watchdogs, like the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"I have deep concerns about a potential US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement as reported, which would significantly erode existing nonproliferation standards," Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on X.

"Any agreement must include appropriate limits on enrichment and reprocessing as well as the IAEA Additional Protocol."

Saudi Arabia has long chased a civil-nuclear agreement with the U.S. The Biden administration, backed by Republicans and Democrats in Congress, had supported negotiations for a deal that included Riyadh normalizing ties with Israel.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the agreement could open the door to Saudi Arabia enriching uranium, under U.S. oversight, and prevent it from being used for military purposes. Experts argued that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium allows the Iranians to justify their right to enrichment, a key sticking point in talks to end the war.

Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program with Defense Priorities, a think-tank that advocates a restrained U.S. foreign policy, said giving the Saudis enrichment capabilities is providing them "huge leverage to extract US security guarantees down the road by threatening to obtain nuclear weapons."

"This deal is a back door security guarantee to Saudi Arabia."