John Kennedy expresses skepticism regarding the timing of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia civil nuclear deal
Republican Senator John Kennedy expressed skepticism regarding the timing of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia civil nuclear deal, noting that the world is currently on a "hair trigger" due to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. While the administration announced the civil nuclear agreement as a peaceful cooperation deal for American companies, Kennedy argued that signing a deal with Saudi Arabia while simultaneously bombing Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons is not ideal. Kennedy further noted that the deal is currently conditioned on Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel under the Abraham Accords. However, he expressed doubt that this will occur soon, as Riyadh has maintained that they will not recognize Israel without a clear pathway toward a Palestinian state. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen described the administration's move as a "bait-and-switch" scheme. The deal now moves to Congress, which has 90 days to review and approval. If no resolution is blocked, the deal will go into force.