The Trump administration has signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that would allow American companies to develop and operate commercial nuclear power facilities in the kingdom, the Department of Energy announced.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the agreement Wednesday, along with a separate safeguards agreement. The deal now heads to Congress for a 90-day review period.
Under the arrangement, U.S. firms would receive priority access to Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy program, enabling them to supply reactors and fuel. An administration memo obtained by NPR states the agreement is expected to remain in effect for decades and generate billions of dollars in economic activity.
“These agreements reflect our two nations’ shared commitment to strengthening U.S.-Saudi commercial relations, delivering prosperity at home and security to our allies abroad,” Wright said. He added that the deals “uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists, designed right here in the United States.”
The memo makes clear that the United States does not support the development of a Saudi nuclear weapons program and that cooperation is strictly limited to peaceful civilian uses. It incorporates nonproliferation requirements under the Atomic Energy Act. While the framework covers aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, it does not require the United States to transfer enrichment or reprocessing technologies to Saudi Arabia.
Notably, the agreement does not include the so-called “gold standard” provisions that prohibit a partner country from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent fuel—restrictions that were part of the U.S. nuclear deal with the United Arab Emirates. It also does not mandate additional International Atomic Energy Agency oversight measures beyond existing requirements.
President Trump said Thursday he would approve the proposed deal only if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords. In a Truth Social post, he wrote that the civil nuclear agreement “pertains only to non-military use” and that “there will be no enrichment of material.” He described the arrangement as similar to civilian nuclear programs already operating in countries including the UAE and Iran, and stressed it remains “totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.”
The announcement drew early criticism. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., posted on X before the formal announcement that Congress should approve a deal only if it contains the same gold-standard safeguards as the UAE agreement. “A President waging war to prevent nuclear proliferation in the Middle East should not facilitate proliferation just because U.S. companies stand to make a profit,” he wrote.
Nuclear proliferation expert Matthew Bunn of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government told NPR that the absence of stronger restrictions could complicate future negotiations with Iran. “I think it may make negotiating a reasonable deal with Iran more difficult,” he said.
The agreement forms part of broader U.S. efforts to reinforce security and commercial ties with key Middle East partners. Its ultimate fate depends on congressional review and Saudi Arabia’s response to the Abraham Accords condition set by the president.
