Trump Approves Landmark Saudi Nuclear Deal, Opening Door to Domestic Uranium Enrichment

Thirty-year agreement would place American companies at the center of Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program while raising concerns over proliferation in the Middle East

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Worthy News) – President Donald Trump has formally approved a sweeping civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that could eventually permit uranium enrichment inside the kingdom, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal.

The 30-year agreement, estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, would give American companies a leading role in constructing Saudi Arabia’s nuclear-energy infrastructure while largely excluding competing companies from China, Russia and other nations.

Under a key provision, U.S. companies could build a uranium-enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia if a joint American-Saudi study concludes that domestic enrichment is warranted.

Trump administration officials argue that placing the facility under a U.S.-led framework would give Washington greater oversight of the Saudi nuclear program and help prevent civilian technology from being diverted toward military purposes.

Critics, however, warn that allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium could undermine decades of American nonproliferation policy and encourage other Middle Eastern nations to demand similar capabilities.

Uranium enrichment can be used to manufacture fuel for civilian nuclear reactors, but the same technology can produce highly enriched uranium suitable for nuclear weapons if enrichment levels are increased.

Agreement Heads to Congress

The agreement is expected to be submitted to Congress for review in the coming days.

Lawmakers could attempt to block the accord through a joint resolution of disapproval. However, opponents would likely need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to overcome a presidential veto, making congressional rejection difficult.

Trump approved the agreement late last week, according to the Journal. The accord is expected to be signed Wednesday by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.

Wright began discussing expanded nuclear cooperation during an April 2025 visit to Saudi Arabia. The two nations later announced that negotiations on a civil nuclear framework had been completed, describing the partnership as an opportunity to strengthen American energy leadership and deepen strategic ties with Riyadh.

A Major Shift in U.S. Nuclear Policy

Previous U.S. negotiations with Saudi Arabia had stalled over Riyadh’s refusal to permanently surrender the right to enrich uranium or reprocess spent nuclear fuel.

The United Arab Emirates accepted those restrictions when it negotiated its civilian nuclear agreement with Washington, creating what American officials called the nuclear cooperation “gold standard.”

Saudi Arabia has resisted following that model, arguing that it should retain the ability to develop its own nuclear-fuel cycle.

The Trump administration maintains that a U.S.-controlled enrichment framework would be safer than allowing Saudi Arabia to seek nuclear assistance from China or Russia. Supporters also argue that the agreement could revive America’s civilian nuclear industry and strengthen the longstanding U.S.-Saudi alliance.

Opponents fear the agreement could accelerate a regional nuclear competition, particularly amid continuing tensions involving Iran’s nuclear program. The Journal reported Tuesday that Israeli intelligence believes Iran transferred thousands of enrichment centrifuges into deeply buried tunnels following the 2025 Israel-Iran war, intensifying concerns that Tehran could rebuild its nuclear capabilities.

The Saudi agreement represents one of the most consequential nuclear-policy decisions of Trump’s second term and could reshape both the commercial and strategic balance of power across the Middle East.

Prophetic Perspective: Saudi Arabia’s Growing Role

Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a nuclear-capable regional power may carry broader prophetic significance as the Middle East moves toward the alliances and rivalries described in Scripture. The kingdom is often associated with the ancient peoples of Arabia, including Dedan and Sheba, which appear in Ezekiel 38 as nations questioning the motives of the coalition that advances against Israel: “Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty?” Rather than joining the invasion, these Arabian powers appear to stand apart and challenge it.

The agreement also underscores how rapidly the strategic balance surrounding Israel is changing. Scripture does not provide a detailed modern map of every alliance, and caution is warranted when connecting current events directly to prophecy. Yet Saudi Arabia’s growing military, economic and technological influence may position the kingdom to play a consequential role as regional powers align, conflict intensifies and the nations increasingly turn their attention toward Israel in the last days.

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