Trump Administration Advances Civil Nuclear Deal with Saudi Arabia Amid Proliferation Concerns
The Trump Administration is advancing a civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, which is currently undergoing final review before submission to Congress. This deal has raised concerns due to its departure from long-held U.S. proliferation safeguards. Unlike previous agreements, the deal does not require Saudi Arabia to adhere to the 'gold standard' of no domestic uranium enrichment and no reprocessing of nuclear waste, nor does it mandate signing the Additional Protocol for snap U.N. inspections. The State Department has indicated that a bilateral safeguards agreement will be established, which may be less stringent than existing standards. Critics argue that this could increase the risk of nuclear proliferation in the region, as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously expressed interest in nuclear weapons. 
