A good nuclear deal won’t put Saudi Arabia on a path for the bomb

Excerpt

What was Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looking for on his visit to Washington in return for his trillion-dollar investment pledge? There were jets, a defense agreement, and what could possibly turn into America’s blessing to become the newest Middle Eastern state capable of producing nuclear-weapons fuel.

The two sides continue negotiating a binding U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement. The devil, as always, will be in the details. If President Donald Trump cuts a weak deal, he risks unwittingly igniting a global nuclear arms race — a legacy no president wants.

On the other hand, a civil nuclear accord with Saudi Arabia clearly serves American interests. It would cement ties with Riyadh, now a major non-NATO ally, and could ease more Saudi oil onto world markets, helping keep prices in check.

Peter Doran is an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where Andrea Stricker is deputy director of the Nonproliferation Program and a research fellow. Follow them on X @PeterBDoran and @StrickerNonpro. FDD is a Washington, D.C.-based, nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.