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Trump’s Saudi Nuclear Pact and Its Middle East Impact

Trump’s Saudi Nuclear Pact and Its Middle East Impact

Last updated on: July 21, 2026 at 4:55 pm by Dennis McIntyre

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Trump’s Saudi Nuclear Pact and Its Middle East Impact 2026-07-21T16:55:36-04:00 Dennis McIntyre

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The Trump Administration recently agreed to a nuclear collaboration agreement with Saudi Arabia – image courtesy of Vecteezy.com.

On November 18, 2025, the Trump administration very quietly signed a nuclear declaration with Saudi Arabia, the Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation. The purpose of the agreement is to establish a long-term nuclear partnership to help Saudi Arabia build nuclear facilities for civil purposes, i.e., clean (or zero-emission) energy. The next step is to complete a Section 123 Civil Nuclear Agreement, the legal framework required for the U.S. to share civilian nuclear technology.

The mainstream media (MSM) covered the story, but it did not receive the same level of attention as other foreign-policy developments. Critics of the agreement fear this could spark a nuclear arms race in a very tense Middle East region. Let’s take a look.

What Did the U.S. and Saudi Arabia Agree To?

The White House statement on the declaration announces:

“The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation, which builds the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar nuclear energy partnership with the Kingdom…”

The agreement confirms that U.S. companies will be Saudi Arabia’s “civil nuclear cooperation partners of choice.” This is a first step in the process. A formal “123 Agreement” (Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954) is required to export nuclear material, reactor technology, or major reactor components to another country.
The two countries also signed a Critical Minerals Framework. The purpose of this agreement is to diversify critical mineral supply chains and is consistent with previous critical mineral agreements signed by the administration. This agreement provides additional resiliency for the supply of essential minerals.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia also signed an AI Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This understanding allows Saudi Arabia to access America’s AI systems while protecting American intellectual property (IP).

Saudi officials made it explicitly clear publicly and during negotiations that if Washington refused to meet their terms, they were fully prepared to sign a nuclear deal with China, Russia, or North Korea. For any of those countries to have a broader influence in the region is a national security threat to the U.S. and Israel.

The Section 123 Nuclear Agreement

While the Joint Declaration is a non-binding political statement, the Section 123 Nuclear Agreement is a binding framework for peaceful nuclear collaboration. Once signed, it establishes the formal enforceable parameters for non-proliferation, inspection rights, safety protocols, and commercial exports:

Once formally signed and submitted to Congress (along with a Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement), it undergoes the mandatory 90-day congressional review process to become enforceable federal law. Congress does not have to approve the deal (it can do so passively by doing nothing), but it can block the deal.
Upon approval, American energy companies can bid on, build, and install nuclear reactors in Saudi Arabia.
One area that is expected to generate some controversy is whether Saudi Arabia will be allowed to enrich uranium. The Saudi government has stated they want to be able to enrich uranium, but the U.S. non-proliferation policy opposes sending enrichment capabilities outside of the country.
Another potential challenge is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections. This agreement does NOT require Saudi Arabia to adopt the IAEA’s Additional Protocol. This protocol ensures Inspectors have the right to conduct short-notice or unannounced checks on both declared and undeclared sites.

Iran refused to follow the IAEA’s Additional Protocol and had enrichment capability. The Saudis are looking for the ability to enrich uranium locally and not to be bound by unannounced inspections of all sites.

What Does This Mean for the Middle East?

One of the key reasons that the Saudi’s are committed to nuclear technology is that it will reduce their dependency on oil. They currently use oil in power plants to generate electricity and run water desalination facilities. By using nuclear technology for electricity, they free up hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day for export. There are no natural rivers in Saudi Arabia, and the desalination plants are energy-intensive, turning seawater into usable fresh water. The use of nuclear technology could strengthen their position as a regional power.

Some critics fear the agreement could intensify regional competition. Saudi leaders have previously stated that they would seek comparable capabilities if Iran developed nuclear weapons. As a result, some experts worry that expanded enrichment capabilities could encourage a broader nuclear race in the Middle East. The agreement could impact the U.S. influence in the region. While it is possible, it could increase influence in the region; disputes with Congress and other partners could have a negative effect.

The Catholic View

Saudi Arabia and the U.S> have agreed on a collaborative nuclear framework – image courtesy of Vecteezy.com.

Jesus consistently emphasized peace, reconciliation, humility, and trust in God. His teachings encouraged people to pursue peace rather than rely on power or fear as the foundation of security. While the intent here is for civil use of nuclear technology, the potential to enrich uranium to levels significantly higher than the standard 3% required for civil use could destabilize the region. This potentially creates a nuclear arms race in an already tense region.

At the same time, Catholics recognize that governments have responsibilities to maintain order and protect citizens. The debate over the nuclear pact centers on balancing security concerns with moral responsibilities. Jesus’ teachings encourage disciples to evaluate political decisions through the lens of peace, justice, and concern for human life. Let’s pray that all parties focus on a balanced approach to these negotiations and build a framework that stabilizes the region and prevents the use of this critical technology as weapons against other countries.

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Peace

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About Dennis McIntyre

In my early years, I was a member of the Methodist church, where I was baptized as a child and eventually became a lector. I always felt very faith-filled, but something was missing. My wife is Catholic, and my children were baptized as Catholics, which helped me find what I was looking for. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, walking with Jesus. I was welcomed into the Catholic faith and received the sacraments as a full member of the Catholic Church in 2004. I am a Spiritual Director and commissioned to lead directees through the 19th Annotation. I am very active in ministry, serving as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister and providing spiritual direction. I have spent time working with the sick and terminally ill in local hospitals and hospice care centers, and I have found these ministries challenging and extremely rewarding. In addition to publishing articles on Patheos, I have also published articles on Beliefnet.com. You can read more about the author here.

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