Trump OKs Saudi Nuclear Deal Allowing Uranium Enrichment
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- Trump approved a nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that could provide the kingdom uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program, according to two AP sources familiar with the decision.
- The 30-year deal is expected to involve U.S. firms and could allow a uranium enrichment facility on Saudi soil following a joint U.S.-Saudi study, with a formal announcement expected as early as Wednesday.
- Nonproliferation experts warn centrifuges inside Saudi Arabia could open the door to a weapons program, especially given that the kingdom's crown prince has suggested he could pursue a bomb if Tehran obtains an atomic bomb.
- Pakistan's defense minister said his nation's nuclear program "will be made available" to Saudi Arabia after the two countries signed a mutual defense pact following Israel's attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials.
- The UAE's "123 agreement" with the U.S. for its Barakah nuclear power plant — built with South Korean assistance and secured without enrichment rights — is held up by nonproliferation experts as the "gold standard."
- Both Trump and former President Biden pursued nuclear agreements with Saudi Arabia to share American technology, though neither had previously been concluded.
Why it matters: The deal departs from the UAE's enrichment-free "gold standard" at a moment when Saudi Arabia's crown prince has suggested pursuing a bomb if Tehran obtains one — and Pakistan has pledged its nuclear umbrella — giving Riyadh enrichment capability that experts say opens the door to weaponization.
