{"id":17810,"date":"2026-07-26T13:18:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17810"},"modified":"2026-07-26T13:18:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T08:18:49","slug":"congress-divided-on-saudi-arabia-nuclear-deal-over-arms-race-fears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=17810","title":{"rendered":"Congress divided on Saudi Arabia nuclear deal over arms race fears"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Lawmakers offered strikingly divided reactions to the White House\u2019s announcement of a new nuclear agreement with <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141251\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/world-regions\/saudi-arabia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Saudi Arabia<\/a>, with Democrats concerned about accelerating a nuclear program in the Middle East and Republicans emphasizing the need for partnership in the region.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">&#8220;I don&#8217;t trust anybody as far as I can throw them, but we&#8217;ve got to develop allies,&#8221; Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital. &#8220;And as long as we can verify them, we have the people there that can verify that they&#8217;re using them for the proper uses, then we\u2019re okay.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Department of Energy released details Wednesday on the agreement, which would support the development of a civilian nuclear energy program in <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141252\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/world-regions\/saudi-arabia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Saudi Arabia<\/a> by providing U.S. technology and expertise. The agreement also includes safeguards intended to ensure nuclear materials are not diverted for weapons development.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141253\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/iran-nuclear-deal-hinges-iaea-access-long-blocked-atomic-weapon-sites-experts-say\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL HINGES ON IAEA ACCESS TO LONG-BLOCKED ATOMIC WEAPON SITES, EXPERTS SAY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/343\/192\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/686\/384\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/672\/378\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1344\/756\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/931\/523\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1862\/1046\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/720\/405\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1440\/810\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/trump-chris-wright-energy.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"U.S. energy secretary Chris Wright and President Donald Trump are seen in the Oval Office.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Lawmakers offered strikingly divided reactions to the White House\u2019s announcement of a new nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia.\u00a0<\/span> <span>(Aaron Schwartz\/CNP\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., blasted the proposal as &#8220;outrageous,&#8221; and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., argued allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without strict safeguards could &#8220;cause a <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141254\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/foreign-policy\/nuclear-proliferation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nuclear arms race<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;The president says what we&#8217;re trying to do is to stop <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141255\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/conflicts\/iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Iran<\/a> from having <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141256\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/russias-lavrov-says-iran-inalienable-right-enrich-uranium-openly-defying-trumps-demands\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a nuclear weapon<\/a>, but if Saudi Arabia \u2026 does not meet all the protocols, etc., then it could cause an arms race where Egyptians or others in the area want a nuclear weapon,&#8221; Meeks said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141257\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trumps-iran-deal-sparks-gop-demands-vote-congress-remains-dark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>TRUMP&#8217;S IRAN DEAL SPARKS GOP DEMANDS FOR VOTE AS CONGRESS REMAINS IN THE DARK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Rep. Mark Alford, R-Miss., said Congress should be central in the decision to pursue <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141259\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trumps-iran-deal-sparks-gop-demands-vote-congress-remains-dark\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">any final agreement<\/a>, while also stressing the importance of having Saudi Arabia as a regional partner.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I think it&#8217;s important with any agreement like that that Congress have a role in that and I look forward to reviewing that,&#8221; Alford said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;As we continue our conflict with <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141260\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/conflicts\/iran\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Iran<\/a>, we need partners in that region who are of the same mindset,&#8221; Alford continued. &#8220;And Saudi, with its reforms that they&#8217;re undergoing right now, gives me great hope and encouragement that we can move forward together in that region to help bring lasting peace.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141261\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/booker-slams-trumps-iran-deal-abject-surrender-labels-biggest-loser-egg-face\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>BOOKER SLAMS TRUMP\u2019S IRAN DEAL AS AN &#8216;ABJECT SURRENDER,&#8217; LABELS HIM THE &#8216;BIGGEST LOSER&#8217; WITH &#8216;EGG ON HIS FACE&#8217;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Raskin also raised questions to Fox News Digital about President <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141262\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Donald Trump&#8217;s<\/a> family&#8217;s financial ties to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Now the Trump administration allows the Saudis to enrich uranium,&#8221; Raskin said. &#8220;So, the Saudis enrich the Trumps, and the Trump&#8217;s allow the Saudis to enrich uranium and then we&#8217;re going to have more nuclear weapons in the Middle East to set off another <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141264\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/foreign-policy\/nuclear-proliferation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">nuclear arms race<\/a> there. &#8220;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The agreement comes as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen its partnership with Saudi Arabia while maintaining pressure on <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_8141265\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-seeks-672m-stop-iranian-nuke-negotiators-battle-over-uranium-stockpile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Iran over its nuclear program<\/a>, a balancing act Congress is likely to scrutinize in coming months.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Hannah is a Production Assistant for the Politics team at Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Lawmakers offered strikingly divided reactions to the White House\u2019s announcement of a new nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, with Democrats concerned about accelerating a nuclear program in the Middle East and Republicans emphasizing the need for partnership in the region. &#8220;I don&#8217;t trust anybody as far as&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/donald-trump-mohammed-bin-salman.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17810\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}