With the Saudi Deal, Trump Risks Aiding and Abetting a Nuclear Arms Race

The agreement appears poised to upend Washington’s decades-long nonproliferation strategy. Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Photos via Getty Images). Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. Last week, the Department of Energy announced that Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart had signed a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement along with a bilateral safeguards pact. The former is commonly known as a 123 agreement because, under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, it is subject to congressional review. Eric S. Edelman was undersecretary of defense for policy (2005-2009) and has served as the co-chair for the congressionally mandated Commissions to review the National Defense Strategy in 2018 and 2024. More We Think You’d Like