WorldU.S. President Donald Trump has approved an agreement with Saudi Arabia that could potentially provide the kingdom with uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program, according to two people familiar with the matter.Deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi ArabiaThe Associated Press · Posted: Jul 22, 2026 5:27 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Both Donald Trump and former U.S. president Joe Biden tried to reach a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia to share American technology. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)U.S. President Donald Trump has approved an agreement with Saudi Arabia that could potentially provide the kingdom with uranium enrichment capability for its civilian nuclear program, according to two people familiar with the matter. The people, who were not authorized to comment publicly about the yet to be formally announced decision, said the agreement is expected to be announced as early as Wednesday.The deal is expected to last 30 years and is also expected to involve U.S. firms in developing the program. The deal could allow for the building of a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia following a joint U.S.-Saudi study.But the deal, which is expected to be submitted to U.S. Congress for review, could face headwinds among lawmakers who fear that helping the Saudis fulfil their long-standing desire to enrich their own uranium would open new rounds of nuclear proliferation and competition. Saudi Arabia is a member state of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a Vienna-based organization which promotes peaceful nuclear work but also inspects nations to ensure they don't have clandestine atomic weapons programs. But the agreement is not expected to include the IAEA's Additional Protocol, which would allow for more monitoring, inspections and verification, according to one of the people.The expected announcement comes in the midst of the war against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel, in part, to wipe out Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has insisted its nuclear enrichment program is peaceful. The White House and Saudi officials in Riyadh did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.WATCH | Trump slams reporter who asks Saudi crown prince about Khashoggi killing:Trump claims Saudi Arabia's crown prince didn't know about Khashoggi murderNovember 18, 2025|Duration 2:46U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday lashed out at an ABC News reporter who asked about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's connection to the 2018 murder of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. During their meeting at the White House, Trump claimed the crown prince had no knowledge of Khashoggi's killing, which took place inside Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, contradicting U.S. intelligence about bin Salman's role in the murder.