WASHINGTON, July 22 — On a sun-baked July afternoon, the long-simmering civilian nuclear pact between the United States and Saudi Arabia has arrived at its moment of truth. The deal, orchestrated by President Donald Trump, represents the culmination of a diplomatic push that began with his 2017 visit to Riyadh, where he signed $110 billion in arms sales.
Now, as the administration moves to finalize the agreement, a familiar collision is taking shape: the White House’s drive to strengthen a key Gulf ally versus deep-seated fears on Capitol Hill that the deal could open the door to nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
The Years of Negotiation
Two years of quiet diplomacy between then-Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih — meetings held multiple times in 2019 in sterile Washington conference rooms and across ornate palace tables in Riyadh — have yielded a framework that President Trump has made a personal priority. Al-Falih, a former chairman of Saudi Aramco, brought the kingdom’s Vision 2030 energy diversification goals to the table. On the Saudi side, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave final approval.
MBS, as he is known, had pressed for nuclear enrichment rights since at least 2015, seeking to place the kingdom on an equal footing with Iran’s nuclear program. The deal enjoys support from former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien.
Behind the scenes, U.S. nuclear industry bodies — including the Nuclear Energy Institute — lobbied heavily for the agreement. For them, the pact represents a crucial export opportunity for Westinghouse, the American reactor builder that filed for bankruptcy in 2017.
Nonproliferation Alarm Bells
But the same features that delight industry executives are triggering alarms among nonproliferation advocates. Former Senator Sam Nunn and the Arms Control Association have voiced opposition, warning that Saudi enrichment rights could spark a regional arms race. On the Hill, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has promised to introduce a resolution of disapproval, citing what he calls unacceptable proliferation risks.
Menendez’s move sets up a direct challenge to the Trump administration just as the deal approaches its final stage. The opposition is not abstract.
Critics point to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal — which gave Tehran limited enrichment in exchange for restrictions — as a cautionary tale. Giving Saudi Arabia similar rights, they argue, would remove any remaining barrier to a cascade of uranium-enrichment programs across the Sunni Arab world. The White House, for its part, maintains that strict safeguards and transparency measures will prevent diversion to weapons use.
What to Watch Next
The coming weeks will test the administration’s ability to sell the deal on the Senate floor. The resolution of disapproval, if passed, could force Trump to veto it — a scenario that would test party loyalty. On the ground in Washington, aides say the White House is preparing an aggressive lobbying campaign, leaning on industry allies and the economic argument that the deal would revive American nuclear exports.
By nightfall, both sides were doubling down. Menendez’s office released a statement vowing to fight “every step of the way.” In Riyadh, Saudi officials see the deal as the crown jewel of a broader strategic realignment with Washington.
All eyes now turn to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where the first salvo in this nuclear battle is expected to land.
