The Trump administration has tentatively agreed to allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without enacting international safeguards intended to prevent nuclear weapons development, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Concerns Over Nuclear Proliferation

Experts have raised concerns that the deal could provide Saudi Arabia with a path to nuclear weapons unless stringent safeguards are put in place. The country’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has previously threatened to build his own nuclear weapons should Iran acquire the bomb.

The draft nuclear accord, which includes a civil nuclear cooperation deal and a mandatory nuclear safeguards agreement, is awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature despite US-Saudi negotiations concluding in October 2025. The agreement does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt a standard enhanced nuclear safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), known as the Additional Protocol.

Implications for US-Saudi Relations

The delay in signing the deal has raised questions about the Trump administration’s commitment to preventing nuclear proliferation in the region. The administration has briefed some on Capitol Hill on the basic outlines of the Saudi nuclear accords, but the details of the agreement remain unclear.

The US-Saudi bilateral agreement is seen as a reasonable way to supplement Saudi Arabia’s existing IAEA safeguards, but the adequacy of the agreement ultimately depends on its still-unpublished terms. The deal has sparked concerns among some members of Congress, who believe that the Trump administration is delaying sign-off because it could face a bipartisan disapproval resolution blocking the deal from going into effect.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.