WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement following President Trump’s Meeting with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud at the White House:
“I support strengthening cooperation with America’s partners, but President Trump’s reported offer of a U.S. security commitment to Saudi Arabia without the Senate’s advice and consent is very troubling. Committing U.S. troops to defend another country is one of the most important decisions we can make as a nation. Without Senate approval, any promise by the President for mutual defense is not legally binding and can be easily reversed by a future Administration. Bypassing Congress on commitments of this scale sets a dangerous precedent, especially after a similar agreement with Qatar without Senate approval.
“The President’s plan to sell dozens of F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia also raises major concerns about protecting U.S. military technology and the military edge America shares with our allies. The Administration must fully explain to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee why this sale is in the vital national interest of the United States.
“Likewise, any deals involving our most advanced technological chips must also include consultations with Congress to guard against conflicts of interest. These chips are central to maintaining America’s lead over China in artificial intelligence and enable significant technological capabilities that will require greater scrutiny around their end use. We cannot risk compromising our technological advantage and economic prospects.
“Finally, any potential civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia must include enhanced inspections through an Additional Protocol to Saudi Arabia’s safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is also critical that we hold Saudi Arabia to the 'gold standard’ to ensure that Riyadh will not enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium. Further, Saudi Arabia’s stated intention to acquire nuclear weapons if Iran does demands extreme caution. We must not fuel a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
“I urge the President and his Administration to brief and submit to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee any and all commitments and agreements made during this visit.”
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