Trump signs off on deal for Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment, raising new nuclear proliferation fears

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has reportedly approved an agreement with Saudi Arabia that could give the kingdom uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program.

According to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly about the yet-to-be-announced decision, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

The sources said the agreement could be announced as early as Wednesday, July 22. It is expected to last 30 years and involve US firms in developing the program.

Saudi nuclear deal breaks US precedent 

The Wall Street Journal first reported that the deal would allow Saudi Arabia to build a uranium enrichment facility following a joint US-Saudi study. The agreement is expected to be sent to Congress for review.

Once submitted, a Section 123 agreement enters a review period of about 90 days of continuous congressional session, during which lawmakers can object.

If Congress seeks to block the agreement, it would need to pass a joint resolution and secure a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto.

Lawmakers are expected to raise concerns that helping Riyadh achieve its long-standing goal of enriching its own uranium could fuel nuclear proliferation and intensify regional competition. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Both Trump and former President Joe Biden previously pursued a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to share American technology.

However, the reported terms of this deal would not require the kingdom to adopt the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) enhanced Additional Protocol safeguards, instead relying on bilateral arrangements.

That would mark a departure from the United Arab Emirates' "123 agreement" with the United States to build the Barakah nuclear power plant with South Korean assistance. That agreement did not grant enrichment rights and has long been regarded by non-proliferation experts as the "gold standard" for civilian nuclear cooperation.

Uranium enrichment alone does not provide a path to building a nuclear weapon, as a country would also need to master other complex technical processes, including the use of synchronized high explosives.

However, arms control experts told WSJ that enrichment capability could open the door to weaponization, echoing the same concerns that have driven Western opposition to Iran's nuclear program for years.

Iran tensions shadow Saudi nuclear pact

Saudi Arabia is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based organization that promotes peaceful nuclear energy while monitoring countries to ensure they are not operating clandestine nuclear weapons programs.

However, according to one of the sources, the agreement is not expected to include the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which allows for expanded monitoring, inspections, and verification.

The reported approval comes amid the broader 2026 conflict, during which Saudi Arabia has been targeted by multiple Iranian missile and drone strikes, including attacks on US military facilities and Saudi oil infrastructure.

In the past, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that if Iran acquired nuclear weapons, the kingdom would seek to obtain them as well.

That statement has fueled concerns among non-proliferation advocates that expanding Saudi enrichment capabilities could accelerate a regional arms race rather than contain it.

Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have already signed a mutual defense pact following Israel's attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials.

Additionally, because of Saudi financing for Pakistan's nuclear program, the historically close ties between the two countries, and their mutual defense pact, some observers believe the two nations have a tacit understanding under which Saudi Arabia could gain access to Pakistan's nuclear arsenal if it ever decided it needed nuclear weapons.

“Nuclear cooperation can be a positive mechanism for maintaining nonproliferation norms and increasing transparency, but the devil is in the details,” wrote Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the Washington-based Arms Control Association.

The documents raise “concerns that the Trump administration has not carefully considered the proliferation risks posed by its proposed nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia or the precedent that such an agreement could create,” she wrote.

Whether Wednesday's expected announcement addresses those concerns, and how Congress responds once the agreement is formally submitted for review, remains to be seen.