US Congress Committee Probes Trump Plan to Give Saudis Nuclear Technology

Sputnik News

20:25 19.02.2019

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee are launching an investigation into a plan by the Trump administration to transfer sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia despite warnings from national security officials, committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said on Tuesday.

Cummings released an interim report on the matter after several whistle-blowers came forward to warn about White House efforts "rush the transfer of highly sensitive US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia" in what could be a violation of the US Atomic Energy Act.

"Based on this [report's] snapshot of events, the Committee is now launching an investigation to determine whether the actions being pursued by the Trump administration are in the national security interests of the United States, or, rather, serve those who stand to gain financially as a result of this potential change in US foreign policy," the report said.

The proposal began as a bid to sell nuclear reactors to the Saudis under the direction of Trump adviser and fundraiser Tom Barrack, and was backed by former national security adviser Michael Flynn, the report said.

The report charged that proponents continued to push the plan after Flynn was fired in February 2017, even though career national security officials warned of potential legal and ethical issues.

The report said the whistle-blowers warned that the Trump administration's efforts to transfer sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia could be ongoing.

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