Key Points
- Classified assessment sent to Congress says Riyadh keeps the weapons option open, US officials told The Washington Post
- Trump's July deal lets American firms build Saudi civilian nuclear projects worth tens of billions of dollars
- Congress has 90 days to block it; Democrats warn of a regional arms race
The latest:
Saudi Arabia has not ruled out developing a nuclear weapons program, according to a US intelligence community assessment contained in classified documents delivered to Congress last month, US officials told The Washington Post. The finding has sharpened opposition among some lawmakers to President Donald Trump’s agreement to help the kingdom build civilian nuclear capacity. The CIA declined to comment.
Details:
- The assessment: US officials, speaking anonymously about a sensitive security matter, said the judgment was included in classified material sent to Congress last month. The same package contained State Department input that officials described as more confident in the agreement’s safeguards and in Saudi assurances.
- The enrichment terms: The agreement caps Saudi uranium enrichment below 5 percent initially, but permits that ceiling to rise to 20 percent after a further study and a written agreement — a level that can be pushed to weapons grade relatively quickly. The Wall Street Journal first reported the limits.
- The Iran comparison: Democratic lawmakers have questioned how the administration could allow a pathway to 20 percent enrichment after criticizing President Barack Obama’s 2015 Iran deal, which capped enrichment at 3.67 percent for 15 years.
- Inspections gap: The deal does not require Saudi Arabia to adopt the Additional Protocol, which gives the International Atomic Energy Agency access to every stage of the fuel cycle and to research facilities. Twenty nonproliferation experts, including former IAEA chief Hans Blix, wrote to Congress this week calling that unacceptable.
- Senate letter: Senators led by Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, accusing the administration of departing from precedent and conceding to Saudi demands. Merkley argued that abandoning domestic enrichment and accepting broad IAEA inspections would prove peaceful intent.
- Riyadh’s position: The Saudi government did not respond directly to questions from The Post, relaying instead an earlier statement from Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman describing the program as peaceful and pledging the highest levels of responsibility and transparency. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in 2018 the kingdom would follow suit if Iran built a bomb.
- State Department response: The department said the United States does not and will not support a Saudi nuclear weapons program, calling the agreement a realistic approach that expands nuclear energy cooperation while maintaining the strongest nonproliferation standards diplomatically achievable.
- Conflict-of-interest claims: The senators’ letter asserted that Jared Kushner accepted a $2 billion investment from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund after leaving the White House, and that Westinghouse Electric stands to earn tens of billions. Spokespeople for Kushner, Westinghouse, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Newmark did not respond to requests for comment.
- The regional argument: Markey said Iranian leaders will fiercely defend their capacity to pursue a weapons program as the war unfolds, and that any US action in Saudi Arabia would accelerate a regional arms race. Iran’s enriched uranium is believed intact under rubble after last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes.
- The case for: Supporters argue American companies are well placed to win lucrative contracts, sidelining Chinese and Russian firms and tightening US-Saudi ties. The administration said in July the deal would advance US and regional security while strengthening the American competitive edge in civil nuclear technology.
Between the lines:
Two obstacles sit in different places. Congress can pass a disapproval measure during the 90-day window, but without a two-thirds majority Trump could veto it and the agreement would take effect unchanged. The harder condition is the administration’s own: a senior official said Saudi normalization with Israel remains a firm requirement, and analysts judge Riyadh unlikely to move while Israel rules out Palestinian statehood.
What’s next
Watch the 90-day congressional review clock, and whether Representative Gregory Meeks’s disapproval legislation attracts veto-proof support. Also watch for the follow-up study and written agreement that would unlock 20 percent enrichment, and any Saudi move on Israel normalization.
