A report by the Oversight Committee of the US House of Representatives claims that the Trump administration has actively sought to transfer sensitive nuclear power technology to Saudi Arabia. The report, which is largely based on testimonies from whistleblowers, states that “within the US, strong private commercial interests have been pressing aggressively for the transfer of highly sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia”. US President Trump is said to be “directly engaged in the effort”. Among the other key people that have allegedly been part of the push are Energy Secretary Rick Perry, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and the President’s son-in-law, white House adviser Jared Kushner.
The Oversight Committee, which is led by Democratic Lawmakers, will now launch an investigation to find out whether the efforts by the Trump administration were “in the national security interests of the United States or [served] those who stand to gain financially” from it.
Saudi Arabia has been interested in receiving nuclear power technology from the US for longer. However, the country has not agreed to safeguards intended to prevent it from employing the technology to build nuclear weapons.
Read more: House launches probe of US nuclear plan in Saudi Arabia