Trump’s Saudi Trip Raises U.S. Nuclear Partnership Hopes/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia could accelerate plans for U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation. While both nations are eager to collaborate on a civilian nuclear energy program, Saudi Arabia’s uranium enrichment ambitions raise serious nonproliferation concerns. The deal could also reshape power dynamics in the Middle East, including U.S. efforts to normalize Saudi-Israel ties.
U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Talks Quick Looks
- Trump to visit Saudi Arabia for high-level talks
- U.S. expresses excitement about civil nuclear deal
- Energy Secretary predicts “meaningful developments” this year
- Saudi Arabia aims to reduce domestic oil use via nuclear power
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drives nuclear ambitions
- Riyadh seeks uranium enrichment capabilities—sparking proliferation fears
- Deal could exclude China and Russia from Saudi market
- Past comments suggest nuclear weapons may be Saudi endgame
- Enrichment plan clashes with long-standing U.S. policy
- Deal may influence regional diplomacy, including Israel normalization
Deep Look
Trump’s Saudi Arabia Visit Rekindles U.S. Nuclear Deal Prospects
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s first trip to Saudi Arabia in his second term may be more than symbolic. At the top of the agenda: a possible civil nuclear cooperation deal that could link U.S. nuclear industry expertise with Saudi Arabia’s long-standing ambitions to develop atomic energy—and potentially more.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently visited the kingdom to lay the groundwork for the visit, signaling strong interest on the U.S. side.
“We’re very excited,” Wright said, hinting at “meaningful developments” coming this year. While no full agreement is expected during the trip, observers say progress toward a deal could send a powerful diplomatic signal across the region.
Why Saudi Arabia Wants Nuclear Power
Despite being one of the world’s largest oil exporters, Saudi Arabia consumes a third of its own oil domestically—especially to power air conditioning and desalination. A nuclear energy program could help free up oil for export, supporting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s broader economic and energy diversification goals.
Saudi Arabia also wants to leverage its domestic uranium reserves, potentially using them for fuel in new reactors. But that raises a serious question: Should the kingdom be allowed to enrich uranium on its own soil?
The Enrichment Dilemma
Riyadh insists that any deal with Washington must include the right to enrich uranium. Technically, low-enriched uranium is used for power generation. But in the wrong hands—or under the wrong conditions—the same process can produce highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons.
The Trump administration faces a difficult decision: stick with the U.S.’s historical opposition to spreading enrichment technology, or make an exception for Saudi Arabia and risk triggering a new regional arms race.
Saudi officials, including the Crown Prince, have previously said they would pursue a bomb if Iran acquired nuclear weapons—a scenario Trump is simultaneously trying to prevent through separate diplomacy with Tehran.
Economic and Strategic Stakes for the U.S.
If Washington turns down Riyadh’s nuclear overtures, Russia or China could step in—without the same safety and nonproliferation standards.
Allowing U.S. companies to build and supply reactors in Saudi Arabia could boost American nuclear industry exports, strengthen ties with a key regional ally, and blunt China’s growing influence in the Middle East.
According to Hasan Alhasan of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the calculus is simple: “If the U.S. doesn’t provide it, someone else will.”
Weapons Ambitions Still Loom
While Saudi officials now talk more about diplomacy, Crown Prince Mohammed’s 2018 statement that “if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we would follow suit” continues to cast a shadow over the conversation.
Such comments, paired with Riyadh’s pursuit of enrichment, fuel speculation that a civil nuclear deal could evolve into something more strategic—potentially nuclear weapons capability in disguise.
Regional Implications: Israel, Iran, and the Abraham Accords
During the Biden administration, a Saudi-U.S. nuclear deal was seen as part of a larger package, including military guarantees, arms sales, and support for Palestinian statehood—all in exchange for Saudi normalization with Israel.
The Trump administration appears to be unbundling that approach, focusing on nuclear cooperation as a separate track. Still, progress on the nuclear front could provide new leverage to advance the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic initiative Trump has championed to forge peace between Israel and Arab states.
However, Israel has voiced serious concerns about allowing any enrichment capability inside Saudi Arabia. Iran, meanwhile, is watching closely, wary of any shift in regional power dynamics.
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