Saudis have not ruled out developing nuclear weapons, U.S. intelligence assesses: Washington Post
Classified documents say Saudi leaders want to keep a nuclear weapons path open as Congress reviews a deal that could allow uranium enrichment.
- Classified documents provided to Congress reveal that American intelligence assesses Saudi Arabia has not ruled out developing nuclear weapons, complicating President Trump's July agreement to build four nuclear plants.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed previously asserted in 2018 that his country would develop nuclear weapons if Iran did, a long-standing ambition heightening concerns about the civilian nuclear deal's weaponization potential.
- Some Democrats express concern that the agreement permits uranium enrichment to nearly 20 percent, whereas President Obama's 2015 Iran deal restricted enrichment to up to 3.67 percent for 15 years.
- Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman said the program would be carried out 'in peaceful ways' and developed with 'the highest responsibility and transparency,' though Saudi Arabia did not formally respond to inquiries.
- The deal is currently under a 90-day review in Congress, where legislators have the ability to block it with sufficient votes; Merkley signed a letter opposing the initiative, citing lack of trust in Riyadh.
73 Articles
73 Articles
Clock ticking on Democrat effort to kill flawed US-Saudi nuke deal
President Donald Trump may be touting a new nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, but members of Congress are already moving to block it, saying it does not do enough to prevent Saudi Arabia from getting a bomb or impose the same inspection standards required of other nuclear countries. Democratic Reps. Gregory Meeks, Brad Sherman, John Garamendi, and Don Beyer have introduced a joint resolution of disapproval against the pact, arguin…
U.S. intel warns Saudi nuclear deal could enable weapons development
A classified U.S. intelligence assessment concludes Saudi Arabia has not ruled out developing nuclear weapons, raising alarms about the Trump administration’s civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Riyadh. The 30-year deal, signed in July 2026 by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, could allow Saudi uranium enrichment up to 20%—just below weapons-grade—with limited international inspections. Democratic lawmakers led […]
US nuclear pact puts Saudi Arabia on path to the bomb
A contentious civilian nuclear agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia has ignited a sharp debate over Middle Eastern security, laying bare the escalating friction between American nonproliferation objectives and the kingdom’s strategic ambitions. This month, The Washington Post reported that a classified US intelligence assessment shared with Congress found that Saudi Arabia has not […]
Saudi Arabia could develop its own nuclear weapons, under conditions that this is not prohibited by the civil nuclear agreement signed with the Trump administration. The analysis belongs to the American secret services, which transmitted information to Congress, according to The Washington Post.
US intel warns Saudis haven't ruled out nuclear weapons as Congress reviews atomic deal
Trump administration's bid to win congressional backing for controversial Saudi nuclear deal hits latest snag, amid report that US intelligence agencies warned Riyadh still open to pursuing nuclear weapons.
Zero Hedge
BizTocSaudi Arabia Could Use Trump Deal To Get A Nuke: Intel Assessment
Saudi Arabia Could Use Trump Deal To Get A Nuke: Intel Assessment A classified US intelligence assessment's conclusions have been reported in The Washington Post at the end of this week, and the report says that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out developing nuclear weapons. The report comes as Congress is scrutinizing President Trump's controversial nuclear cooperation agreement with Riyadh, which was signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright in July.…
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