Tikvah
Editors’ Pick

July 27, 2026

Why Is the U.S. Helping Saudi Arabia Get Nuclear Power?

And how Israel fits in.

On July 22, the Trump administration announced a deal to provide Riyadh with a civilian nuclear program. The next day, President Trump added that the agreement depends on the Saudis joining the Abraham Accords. Examining what is known thus far about the agreement’s technical details, David Albright, Sarah Burkhard, and Spencer Faragasso stress that it should either prevent Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium itself or ensure that any Saudi enrichment facilities be run and controlled by the U.S., as it “is precisely . . . domestically controlled enrichment plants that the United States does not want in Iran.” Peace with Israel, moreover, fits naturally into the agreement, since

SaveGift