Trump approves US nuclear energy cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia

US President Donald Trump has officially approved a formal agreement with Saudi Arabia concerning the peaceful use of nuclear energy, according to a White House statement released on Thursday, 23 July. The deal establishes a framework for the transfer of American nuclear technology, materials, and equipment to the Kingdom, intended specifically for civilian power generation. The agreement, known as a Section 123 Agreement, is a legal requirement under the US Atomic Energy Act for any country seeking to engage in significant nuclear trade with the United States. While the deal facilitates the development of Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy infrastructure, it includes non-proliferation safeguards designed to ensure nuclear materials are not diverted toward weaponization. Energy diversification and regional security Saudi Arabia has previously announced plans to build 17 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2040, a move aimed at diversifying its energy mix and reducing domestic reliance on crude oil for electricity. This deal allows US companies to compete for multi-billion dollar contracts to build the Kingdom's first two nuclear reactors, a project that has also seen interest from firms in South Korea, France, Russia, and China. The approval comes as Riyadh seeks to modernize its economy. Tensions regarding the "Gold Standard" of non-proliferation—which would require Saudi Arabia to renounce domestic uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing—have been a central point of…