From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, May 5, 2026
30 Democratic lawmakers ask Rubio to reveal details of Israel’s nuclear program
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
A group of 30 House Democrats demands that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclose details of Israel’s nuclear weapons program.
“We cannot develop a coherent nonproliferation policy for the Middle East,” they say in a letter to Rubio, “including with respect to Iran’s civil nuclear program and Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear ambitions, while maintaining a policy of official silence about the nuclear weapons capabilities of one party central to the ongoing conflict in which the United States is a direct participant.”
“We ask that you hold Israel to the same standard of transparency that the United States expects from any other country that may be pursuing or retaining nuclear weapons capability,” says the group, led by Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro.
Israel does not confirm or deny having atomic weapons, and the White House has also maintained ambiguity around Israel’s nuclear program over the decades.
The Democrats argue that Congress “has a constitutional responsibility to be fully informed about the nuclear balance in the Middle East, the risk of escalation by any party to this conflict, and the administration’s planning and contingencies for such scenarios. We do not believe we have received that information.”
They ask for details on Israeli warheads and launchers, enrichment capabilities, what is produced in Dimona, and what the US has been told about Israeli doctrine and red lines.
“The United States openly acknowledges the nuclear weapons programs of the United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, Russia, China and North Korea,” they write. “We ask that Israel be held to the same standard as any other foreign country, and that the United States government speaks candidly about its potential nuclear weapons capabilities, whatever they may be.”
The Times of Israel Community.