Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) is not a fan of the Trump administration's proposed civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia — at least not right now. In an interview with CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday, Kennedy made it clear he's uncomfortable with the timing of the agreement as Congress prepares to review it.
"No. Maybe someday, but not right now," he said.
Kennedy's concern boils down to a simple contradiction: the U.S. is actively bombing Iran to prevent it from getting a nuclear weapon, yet it's simultaneously signing a nuclear cooperation deal with another country in the same volatile region. That, he argues, sends a mixed and dangerous signal about American policy.
"We're bombing a country to keep them from getting a nuclear weapon, but we're signing a deal with another country," Kennedy said, warning that even a "commercial" nuclear deal could be seen as a stepping stone toward weapons capability.
The Louisiana senator stressed that his objection isn't to civilian nuclear cooperation in principle, but to the timing. "The world's on a hair trigger," he said, pointing to growing global instability that's pushing more nations to prioritize nuclear deterrence. "It's just not good timing."
Kennedy also noted that President Donald Trump has tied the deal to Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel — a condition Riyadh has so far rejected. Despite his criticism of the nuclear deal's timing, Kennedy largely backs Trump's Iran policy, supporting continued economic and military pressure while opposing a full-scale ground war.
