Nicolai Haugsted
Nuclear experts sound the alarm after Trump’s latest Saudi agreement
Diplomatic ties between Washington and Riyadh appear set for another major milestone, but the latest agreement under President Donald Trump is already raising alarms among lawmakers and nuclear experts.
According to Huffpost via. people familiar with the matter, Trump has approved a long-term deal that could allow Saudi Arabia to develop uranium enrichment capabilities as part of its civilian nuclear program.
The agreement, which has not yet been formally announced, could reportedly be unveiled as early as Wednesday.
Sources familiar with the negotiations say the arrangement would remain in force for 30 years and involve American companies helping develop Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear industry. A joint US-Saudi study could ultimately pave the way for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility inside the kingdom.
Congress is expected to review the proposal before it can move forward.
Concerns over nuclear proliferation
Not everyone in Washington is convinced the plan is without risk.
Several lawmakers are reportedly concerned that helping Saudi Arabia enrich its own uranium could trigger a new wave of nuclear competition across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which promotes peaceful nuclear development while monitoring member states for signs of secret weapons programs.
However, people familiar with the agreement say it is not expected to include the IAEA’s Additional Protocol, a framework that allows for expanded inspections, monitoring and verification.
News of the agreement comes while the United States and Israel continue military operations aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iran has consistently maintained that its uranium enrichment activities are intended solely for peaceful purposes.
Neither the White House nor Saudi officials immediately commented on the reported agreement, which was first revealed by The Wall Street Journal.
Experts warn enrichment changes the equation
Both Trump and former President Joe Biden previously pursued civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, but the prospect of domestic uranium enrichment has long divided policymakers.
Nonproliferation experts argue that although uranium enrichment alone does not produce a nuclear weapon, it represents a significant technological step toward that possibility. A country would still need to master several additional processes, including the use of synchronized high explosives, before producing an atomic bomb.
Those concerns have grown after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously suggested the kingdom could pursue nuclear weapons if Iran were ever to acquire one.
Regional security dynamics have also shifted in recent months. Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact after Israel launched an attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials. Pakistan’s defense minister later stated that the country’s nuclear program “will be made available” to Saudi Arabia if necessary, a remark widely interpreted as a warning to Israel.
Supporters of stricter nonproliferation rules often point to the United Arab Emirates as the preferred model. The UAE built its Barakah nuclear power plant under a so-called “123 agreement” with the United States while agreeing not to pursue domestic uranium enrichment—a standard many experts continue to describe as the safest path for countries seeking civilian nuclear power.
