Draft US-Saudi nuclear agreement allowing uranium enrichment awaits Trump approval
Whether the story is about dangerous nuclear latitude without stronger safeguards, or about preserving strategic flexibility while navigating war and congressional review.
The Facts
- The Trump administration has tentatively agreed to a draft nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia that would support the kingdom’s civilian nuclear program and allow uranium enrichment in Saudi Arabia.NDTV
- The draft agreement is still awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature, despite US-Saudi negotiations having concluded in October 2025.NDTV
- The proposed arrangement is a so-called "123 Agreement," which would provide the legal framework for US companies to transfer nuclear materials or technology to Saudi Arabia.Коммерсант.ru
How left and right read it
What stands out here is the combination of expanded nuclear capability and weakened guardrails: the draft would allow uranium enrichment, create a legal path for US nuclear transfers, and reportedly do so without enhanced international safeguards. That matters because Congress has not yet reviewed it even though the law requires that step, while experts warn that enrichment without stricter safeguards raises proliferation risk.
What matters here is that a major strategic agreement is still being held back even after negotiations concluded, with the administration weighing a live regional war and the prospect of congressional resistance. A deal that sets the legal terms for US nuclear transfers and Saudi enrichment is exactly the kind of decision that tests whether Washington can act with strategic clarity while still following the review process the law requires.