WASHINGTON — The White House detailed a freshly inked civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia during a press briefing Tuesday, marking a significant realignment of energy and geopolitical strategy under the banner of American primacy.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the deal as a "massive win for the American worker," emphasizing that the framework strictly prohibits Saudi enrichment or reprocessing of nuclear material, locking the kingdom into purchasing U.S.-sourced reactor technology and fuel for decades. The administration projects the agreement will generate an estimated $40 billion in direct revenue for domestic energy and construction firms, bypassing competitors in Beijing and Moscow.
"This isn't about exporting our security for free," Leavitt stated. "We secured a deal that captures the entire fuel cycle for American industry. Saudi Arabia pays for our expertise, our components, and our enriched uranium. That's American economic nationalism in action, ensuring good-paying nuclear and coal-adjacent energy jobs stay right here."
Leavitt brushed aside questions regarding foreign lobbying influence on the decision, noting only that the administration's calculus is based purely on American energy dominance and countering adversaries. When pressed on Israel's reaction, the Press Secretary gave a curt reply: "Our policy is American-first. Our energy agreements will not be held hostage to the lobbying whims of any foreign power, friendly or not."
The agreement includes provisions for spent-fuel reimportation, a clause White House officials say ensures the U.S. maintains total head-of-fuel-cycle control. The administration also confirmed the deal would not greenlight any financing for renewable energy credits, a nod to the publication's support for nuclear and coal baseload power. Officials at the Department of Energy, named in the briefing, indicated the first reactor contracts could be tendered to firms in Pennsylvania and Ohio within 18 months, directly countering industrial decline in the Rust Belt.
Further terms require explicit congressional approval for any amendments, a move the administration claims will prevent foreign lobbyists from quietly altering the text. Leavitt's office declined to specify the total government cost for loan guarantees, but internal estimates previously signaled a taxpayer exposure capped under $7 billion, a sum justified by projected long-term royalty and tax revenues.