Washington, D.C. – The administration of US President Donald Trump is expected to submit a proposed US-Saudi nuclear energy cooperation agreement to Congress in the coming days, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The agreement, known as a 123 Agreement, was signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. It provides the legal framework for sharing American civilian nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia.
According to the sources, the proposed pact does not include certain non-proliferation safeguards that previous US administrations said were necessary to ensure nuclear materials would not be diverted for weapons development.
The agreement follows a preliminary deal signed in Riyadh last year and now awaits congressional review before it can move forward.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, President Trump has formally approved the agreement. The report also states that, unlike former President Joe Biden, Trump is not requiring Saudi Arabia to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel as a condition for nuclear cooperation.
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The proposed agreement has drawn attention because it could potentially allow Saudi Arabia to develop uranium enrichment capabilities, an issue that has long been debated due to nuclear proliferation concerns.
If approved by Congress, the agreement would mark a significant step in expanding US-Saudi strategic cooperation in the civilian nuclear energy sector while likely triggering debate over regional security and non-proliferation policies.
