The US is set to publicly announce a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, a deal valued in the tens of billions of dollars that would allow the kingdom to develop nuclear power infrastructure, including the controversial capability to enrich uranium on its own territory.
President Donald Trump has approved the 30-year pact, which positions American companies as the primary partners in building Saudi Arabia’s nuclear reactors and enrichment facilities. The formal public announcement is expected by July 22, 2026.
What’s actually in the deal
The agreement follows what’s known as the “123 agreement” framework, the legal mechanism the US uses to share civilian nuclear technology with other countries.
A Joint Declaration was signed on November 18, 2025, by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington. Draft negotiations wrapped up in October 2025, with Trump’s formal approval coming between July 21 and 22, 2026.
