Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a nuclear cooperation agreement Wednesday that could allow American companies to build and operate commercial nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Department of Energy announced the deal, which it says will lay the groundwork for a multibillion-dollar partnership to boost Saudi energy capacity.
The signing was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. According to NPR, American companies will have priority access to supply nuclear reactors and fuel to the Saudi nuclear energy program under the terms of an administration memo about the agreement. Saudi Arabia cannot reprocess American nuclear material for weapons under the deal. But the memo lacks what NPR described as the "gold standard" provisions that would prevent the country from using American-built plants to enrich uranium or other nuclear fuel supplied by other countries. Saudi Arabia is also not required to adopt terms that would lead to greater oversight from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The text of the agreement has not yet been released but will go to Congress for review.
The day after the signing, President Trump posted on Truth Social that the deal would not allow the Saudis to enrich uranium and added a condition that was not mentioned publicly at the time of signing. "The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords," Trump wrote. "The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities."
The Abraham Accords were a series of agreements reached during Trump's first administration to normalize relations between Israel and several Arab nations. It is unclear whether Saudi Arabia was aware of this condition when the deal was signed. Saudi Arabia has not publicly responded to Trump's comments about enrichment or the Abraham Accords.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement following Trump's post. "Saudi Arabia's joining of the Abraham Accords would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East. Peace through strength," the statement read.
Wright said in a statement released with the announcement: "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. Rest assured, these agreements 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."
NPR reported that Saudi Arabia has sought nuclear cooperation with the U.S. for more than a decade, and concerns over the country's human rights record and potential weapons ambitions had previously stalled the effort. Israeli former defense and foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized the agreement, saying it could lead to a nuclear arms race in the region. Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons but has never confirmed it. The deal also comes as Gulf states have faced consequences for aligning with the United States during the war in Iran.
