Bipartisan Senators Demand Full Transparency on Saudi Nuclear Deal Documents

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pressing the Trump administration to declassify all information regarding a proposed civil nuclear energy agreement with Saudi Arabia, including two classified "side letters." In a letter sent Wednesday, the lawmakers argued that full transparency is necessary for Congress and the public to properly evaluate the deal.

Push for Full Disclosure

The letter, which Reuters reports it has seen, was addressed to the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Energy. It was spearheaded by Democratic Senators Jeff Merkley and Ed Markey and signed by a coalition including 13 other Democrats, one independent, and Republicans Rand Paul and John Kennedy.

Lawmakers noted that the administration's decision to withhold documents is a departure from precedent. The U.S. has reached dozens of similar nuclear cooperation pacts, known as 123 agreements, with other countries without keeping such information from the public. "Access to the full text is required for the Senate and the public to have a clear understanding of the commitments being made on the nation’s behalf," the letter stated.

Nonproliferation Concerns and Commercial Stakes

The proposed 30-year pact has drawn criticism from nonproliferation advocates because it reportedly lacks a "gold standard" clause. This provision, which the United Arab Emirates agreed to in its 2009 deal with Washington, would explicitly bar Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent fuel—two potential pathways to developing a nuclear weapon.

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The Trump administration maintains that the agreement contains all nonproliferation measures required by U.S. law. The deal also carries significant commercial implications, involving the construction of AP1000 reactors in a project valued at tens of billions of dollars. The primary corporate beneficiary would be nuclear power company Westinghouse, which is jointly owned by Canada-based Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) and Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM).

Congressional Review in Progress

The administration submitted the agreement to Congress in August, triggering a 90-day review period during which lawmakers can attempt to pass a resolution of disapproval. The senators have since been pushing for the declassification of the associated documents.

While President Trump has publicly stated the deal will only go into effect if Riyadh normalizes relations with Israel, congressional aides have reportedly said there is no language in the pact addressing that condition. The senators' letter did not mention the Israel issue.