President Trump has submitted the landmark US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement to Congress, keeping Israel normalization as a condition for the 30-year energy partnership.
President Trump has formally submitted the landmark US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement to Congress for review, pushing a historic energy partnership one step closer to reality. The 30-year deal -- officially the Agreement for Cooperation on the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy -- would give Saudi Arabia access to American nuclear technology and expertise for a civilian power program.
The submission starts a 90-day review clock under the Atomic Energy Act. Congress can pass a joint resolution of disapproval to block the pact, but if lawmakers take no action, the agreement automatically takes effect.
The agreement was signed on July 22 by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Saudi Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman after more than a year of negotiations. American firms are expected to play a major role in developing the kingdom's civilian nuclear infrastructure, a win for US industry and workers in the energy sector.
Talks on the partnership stretch back years, with both the previous administration and the current White House pursuing a framework that would bring Saudi Arabia into the American civilian nuclear orbit. Trump administration officials concluded the core negotiations in October 2025, and the president informed Congress of the proposed deal in February 2026 before the formal signing this summer.
The administration is keeping a firm condition attached to the pact: Saudi Arabia must normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords before the deal moves forward. Trump has made clear the agreement is contingent on that diplomatic step, keeping pressure on Riyadh to join the growing circle of Arab nations at peace with Israel.
The condition gives Congress a clear framework as it weighs the deal. Supporters see it as a two-for-one win -- a major strategic energy partnership paired with a push toward Middle East peace that builds on the normalization agreements Trump brokered during his first term.
Some Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns about the agreement, with a few arguing the safeguards should go further. Critics have pointed to the absence of the IAEA Additional Protocol, which would grant the UN nuclear watchdog broader inspection powers, though the deal still includes standard International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.
Opponents have also raised questions about uranium enrichment, with some warning about a regional arms race. Supporters counter that the agreement positions the United States as the partner of choice for Saudi Arabia's civilian energy needs, keeping American allies out of the orbit of Russia and China, and that tight US oversight is far better than leaving the kingdom to seek nuclear cooperation elsewhere.
Congress now has 90 days to review the agreement, with the deal set to take effect automatically if no disapproval resolution passes. The coming weeks will show whether lawmakers move to block the pact or let it stand, and whether Saudi Arabia takes steps on Israel normalization in the meantime.
For the Trump administration, the submission marks another concrete step toward a transformed Middle East -- one where American allies build peaceful energy capacity under US leadership while the Abraham Accords expand. The next 90 days will determine how quickly that vision becomes reality.
President Trump has submitted the landmark US-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement to Congress, keeping Israel normalization as a condition for the 30-year energy partnership.
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