U.S. and Saudi Arabia Reach Agreement on Nuclear Energy Program

WHO:

ABC News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “The U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.”

ABC News - President Trump is expected to announce that he will ask Congress to approve the agreement with Saudi Arabia.

ABC News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “The U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.”

ABC News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump administration would work with Congress to formalize the deal.

ABC News - President Trump approved the agreement with Saudi Arabia.

ABC News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the agreement.

BBC News - Saudi Arabia is involved in the nuclear program discussions.

WHAT:

ABC News - The agreement is expected to last 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

ABC News - The deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.

ABC News - The agreement is not expected to include the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections, and verification.

ABC News - The agreement is expected to last 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

ABC News - The deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.

ABC News - The agreement is not expected to include the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections, and verification.

ABC News - The agreement is expected to be submitted to Congress as early as Wednesday.

ABC News - The deal is expected to last 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

ABC News - The agreement could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.

ABC News - The framework for the agreement will be governed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

ABC News - The agreement is expected to be submitted to Congress for review, where it could face opposition among lawmakers who fear a lack of monitoring safeguards to restrict Saudi Arabia’s uranium enrichment.

The Guardian - The proposal has been in discussion for years, with the Biden administration at one point wanting to condition Saudi Arabia’s access to the technology on normalizing relations with Israel.

Newsweek - A former Israeli nuclear official stated that Saudi Arabia appeared to be "keeping the nuclear weapons option open."

NBC News - The White House plans to announce the nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, according to a senior administration official.

The Guardian - The US-Saudi deal is expected to last 30 years and involve US firms such as Westinghouse in developing the program.

CBS News - The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are expected to sign a deal for U.S. companies to run nuclear power for the Saudis, potentially allowing the Saudis to enrich their own fuel for nuclear reactors.

ABC News - The agreement is expected to last 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

ABC News - The deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.

ABC News - The agreement is not expected to include the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections, and verification.

ABC News - The agreement is expected to last 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

ABC News - The deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.

ABC News - Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, “Suffice it to say, the U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.”

ABC News - Alexander Bollfrass, a nuclear expert, described the deal as “a revolutionary new approach” to nuclear nonproliferation policy.

ABC News - The agreement is valued at tens of billions of dollars, with U.S. industry expected to help develop Saudi nuclear infrastructure.

ABC News - The agreement allows Saudi Arabia to potentially enrich uranium in the future.

ABC News - The deal includes safeguards to inhibit weaponization efforts.

ABC News - The agreement spans 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars.

CBS News - The deal could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium, raising concerns about nuclear weapon development.

WHERE:

ABC News - The discussions took place in Washington, D.C. during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

WHEN:

ABC News - The agreement is expected to be submitted to Congress as early as Wednesday.

ABC News - The agreement is expected to be submitted to Congress, as required by federal law.

WHY:

The Guardian - The timing of the announcement is controversial as the U.S. is engaged in a war with Iran to prevent Tehran from enriching uranium domestically.

The Guardian - Saudi Arabia has in the past said it would need a nuclear weapon if Iran acquired one, an intention Iran has repeatedly denied.

ABC News - Nonproliferation experts warn that any spinning centrifuges within Saudi Arabia could open the door to a possible weapons program.

BBC News - The agreement fulfills a long-held ambition of Saudi Arabia for a civil nuclear energy program, which could attract concern in Israel and from some U.S. lawmakers.

ABC News - The agreement fulfills a long-held ambition of Saudi Arabia for a civil nuclear energy program.

ABC News - The U.S. aims to ensure that no agreement leads to the risk of nuclear proliferation.

HOW:

ABC News - The framework for the agreement will be governed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

ABC News - The agreement will involve U.S. firms in developing the program, including Westinghouse.

The Guardian - The plan is expected to be submitted to Congress for review, where it could face opposition among lawmakers who fear a lack of monitoring safeguards to restrict Saudi Arabia’s uranium enrichment.

ABC News - The framework for the agreement will be governed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

ABC News - The agreement will be governed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

ABC News - The framework for the agreement will be governed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 02:50 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will not reach any agreement that poses a risk of proliferation. The anticipated deal, valued at tens of billions of dollars and expected to last 30 years, could pave the way for a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, although it won't include the IAEA's Additional Protocol for enhanced monitoring. This agreement is set to be submitted to Congress as early as Wednesday, amid ongoing tensions with Iran over uranium enrichment.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 01:25 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the U.S. will not reach any agreement that risks nuclear proliferation, amid ongoing tensions with Iran. A proposed deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, valued at tens of billions of dollars and expected to last 30 years, could potentially allow for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, although it will not include the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol for enhanced monitoring. The framework for this agreement will be managed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the IAEA, raising concerns given the current conflict over Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 00:16 UTC)

A significant agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is set to be submitted to Congress as early as Wednesday, with a value in the tens of billions of dollars and a duration of 30 years. This deal could pave the way for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, following a joint study by the two nations, and will be overseen by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency. U.S. firms, including Westinghouse, will play a key role in developing the program, amid ongoing tensions due to the U.S. involvement in a conflict with Iran over uranium enrichment.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 20:22 UTC)

The White House is preparing to announce a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, according to a senior administration official. This agreement will soon be submitted to Congress for review, where it may face opposition from lawmakers concerned about the lack of monitoring safeguards on Saudi Arabia's uranium enrichment. Discussions about this proposal have been ongoing for years, with the Biden administration previously linking Saudi access to nuclear technology with the normalization of relations with Israel.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 19:22 UTC)

President Trump is expected to announce that he will ask Congress to approve a significant agreement with Saudi Arabia, which involves a 30-year deal for U.S. firms like Westinghouse to develop a nuclear power program for the Saudis. This deal could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich its own fuel for nuclear reactors, a move that raises concerns among lawmakers about the potential for nuclear weapons development, especially given Saudi Arabia's past statements regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions. The plan will be submitted to Congress for review, where it may encounter opposition due to fears over monitoring safeguards related to uranium enrichment.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 18:19 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will not enter into any agreements that could risk proliferation. The proposed deal, valued at tens of billions of dollars and expected to last for 30 years, may allow for the construction of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, but it will not include the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional Protocol for enhanced monitoring. Nonproliferation experts are concerned that this could pave the way for a potential weapons program, as the framework will be managed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia instead of the IAEA.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 16:22 UTC)

A new agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is set to last for 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars, potentially paving the way for a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia following a joint study. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the U.S. will not engage in any agreements that could risk proliferation, while nuclear expert Alexander Bollfrass called the deal “a revolutionary new approach” to nonproliferation policy. However, nonproliferation experts caution that any operational centrifuges in Saudi Arabia could lead to the development of a weapons program, and this agreement will be overseen by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia instead of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 15:30 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration plans to collaborate with Congress to formalize a significant agreement valued at tens of billions of dollars, aimed at developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure. This deal fulfills Saudi Arabia's long-standing goal of establishing a civil nuclear energy program, which has raised concerns among some U.S. lawmakers and in Israel. Notably, the framework for this agreement will be managed by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, rather than the International Atomic Energy Agency.

(UPDATED July 22, 2026 14:41 UTC)

President Trump has approved a significant agreement with Saudi Arabia that allows the kingdom to potentially enrich uranium in the future, a move that has raised concerns about nuclear weapon development. The deal, which spans 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars, includes safeguards to inhibit weaponization efforts and will be submitted to Congress as required by federal law. Discussions surrounding this agreement took place in Washington, D.C. during a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, fulfilling Saudi Arabia's long-held ambition for a civil nuclear energy program while aiming to prevent nuclear proliferation.