Trump sends Saudi nuclear deal to Congress
Donald Trump has sent a civil nuclear energy deal with Saudi Arabia to the US Congress. If lawmakers do not object to the deal, which does not ban uranium enrichment, it will take effect within 90 days. However, Trump is not going to give Saudi nuclear technology until Israel recognizes it.
Trump Submits Saudi Nuclear Deal to Congress
The agreement, signed in July and allowing American companies to export civilian nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, was sent to Congress on Monday, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The 30-year nuclear deal includes the construction of AP1000 reactors. The project, worth tens of billions of dollars, will benefit Westinghouse, a Canadian company jointly owned by the two companies.
The two congressional sources told the publication that the agreement has been sent to congressional leaders and is expected to be submitted to the relevant committees on Wednesday. If Congress does not object to the agreement within 90 days of the session, it will take effect.
If Congress rejects the agreement, Trump can veto it. A two-thirds majority in Congress is required to repeal it.
"The president's position has not changed, the agreement will only be implemented if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords," the US official said.
The deal is a US-brokered agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Arab-Muslim countries. The agreements, reached in 2020 and 2021, were signed between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.
In July, days after Trump approved the Saudi nuclear deal, Israel made normalization of relations a key condition for it to take effect.
Saudi Arabia has demanded the establishment of a Palestinian state before it will recognize Israel.
Diplomats believe that Riyadh came very close to normalizing relations with Israel in 2023. However, the genocidal war that Israel launched in Gaza in October 2023 changed the situation.
The Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington did not comment on the reports.