WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� The Trump administration is expected to sign an agreement with Saudi Arabia as early as Wednesday that could potentially provide the kingdom with for its civilian nuclear program. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says any deal signed by the U.S. would not lead to proliferation.
The deal 鈥� confirmed to The Associated Press by two people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to discuss details and spoke on condition of anonymity 鈥� could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint U.S.-Saudi study.
Though he wouldn鈥檛 confirm the deal, Rubio sought to head off emerging criticism of the decision under questioning by reporters about the risk that helping the Saudis fulfill their long-standing desire to enrich their own uranium could lead to new rounds of nuclear proliferation and competition in a volatile region.
鈥淭he U.S. is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation,鈥� said Rubio, who was traveling in the Philippines on Wednesday.
The agreement is not expected to include the ‘s Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections and verification, according to one of the people familiar with the decision.
The deal, expected to last 30 years and involve U.S. firms in developing the program, is expected to be submitted for review to Congress, where it .
The expected announcement comes during the launched by the U.S. and Israel, in part, to wipe out Tehran鈥檚 ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has insisted its nuclear enrichment program is peaceful.
The White House and Saudi officials in Riyadh did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment on the decision, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Alexander Bollfrass, a nuclear expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, called the deal 鈥渁 revolutionary new approach鈥� to nuclear nonproliferation policy.
鈥淭he revolutionary aspect of this agreement is that the United States is not asking Saudi Arabia to abide by the highest possible safeguards, internationally monitored safeguards that are standard and are available today, but instead is willing to at least theoretically transfer highly sensitive technology without the same level of oversight that one would expect,鈥� Bollfrass said.
Both President and former President tried to reach a nuclear deal with the kingdom to share American technology.
Enrichment could open the door to weaponization
Nonproliferation experts warn any spinning centrifuges within Saudi Arabia could open the door to a possible weapons program for the kingdom, something its assertive de facto leader, , has suggested he could pursue if Tehran obtains an atomic bomb.
traveled to Saudi Arabia last year shortly before Trump visited the kingdom and discussed building out the kingdom鈥檚 commercial nuclear power industry with his Saudi counterpart. The U.S. Department of Energy also has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Already, Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact after Israel launched an attack on Qatar targeting Hamas officials. Pakistan鈥檚 defense minister then said his nation鈥檚 nuclear program 鈥渨ill be made available鈥� to Saudi Arabia if needed, something seen as a warning for Israel, long believed to be the Middle East鈥檚 only nuclear-armed state.
Some lawmakers are hesitant about giving Saudis enrichment capability
Enrichment isn鈥檛 an automatic path to a nuclear weapon 鈥� a nation also must master other steps, including the use of synchronized high explosives, for instance. But it does open the door to weaponization, which has fueled the West’s concerns over Iran鈥檚 program.
The United Arab Emirates, a neighbor to Saudi Arabia, signed what is referred to as a 鈥�123 agreement鈥� with the U.S. to build its Barakah nuclear power plant with South Korean assistance. But the UAE did so without seeking enrichment, something nonproliferation experts have held up as the 鈥済old standard鈥� for nations wanting atomic power.
Rubio, as a Republican senator representing Florida, backed a bipartisan proposal in 2018 that called for requiring Congress to approve any 123 agreement with Saudi Arabia. The bill was reintroduced by a group of Democratic lawmakers in March but has not passed into law.
Typically, 123 agreements 鈥� which authorize U.S. companies to sell nuclear technology abroad 鈥� go into effect unless veto-proof majorities of Congress pass joint resolutions of disapproval.
Rosemary Kelanic, the Middle East director at Defense Priorities, a Washington think tank, said that uranium enrichment capability could potentially give Saudi Arabia 鈥渁 potent source of leverage to extract future concessions from Washington, including new security guarantees, by threatening to weaponize its program unless the United States promises enhanced military protection.鈥�
鈥淕iving Riyadh uranium enrichment could functionally enmesh the United States with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia forever,鈥� Kelanic added.
___
Price reported from Manila, Philippines. Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London and Will Weissert and Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
