US backs Saudi uranium enrichment with minimal safeguards
CNN reports the Trump administration has moved to back Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program by endorsing a draft 123 agreement that would allow uranium enrichment but without robust nonproliferation safeguards (the Additional Protocol). The documents haven’t been sent to Congress yet, and timing is unclear as elections approach, sparking bipartisan concern. Saudi leaders have long pushed for enrichment and a U.S. nuclear umbrella, a shift some see as more transformative for the region than other defense deals; historically, UAE-style guarantees conditioned cooperation on stricter safeguards.
