Trump adds Saudi nuclear deal condition linking it to Abraham Accords

Washington – The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement on Wednesday at the Energy Department headquarters, ending a process that began more than 20 years ago. The ceremony featured both nations' flags and a live video link with Saudi officials in Riyadh.

Less than 24 hours later, President Donald Trump posted on his social-media platform that the agreement would be contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic initiative that normalizes relations with Israel. In the same statement, he said the deal would not permit uranium enrichment.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said the condition reflects a long-standing goal of the administration and would “help bring true peace to the Middle East.” Energy Department press secretary Ben Dietderich rejected claims of a lack of coordination, calling them “fake news” and emphasizing that the deal and the Accords share a common objective of “delivering lasting peace through commerce, not conflict.”

Sources familiar with the matter said the president was displeased that Energy Secretary Chris Wright proceeded with the signing without prior notification, and that criticism from experts and conservative media amplified his frustration. The administration’s senior staff reportedly viewed the addition of the Accords requirement as a surprise to nuclear negotiators, who had not been briefed on it.

The deal, which would allow Saudi Arabia to develop uranium enrichment capabilities under certain conditions, had previously drawn criticism from non-proliferation experts for lacking the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol safeguards. Proponents argued that U.S. involvement would give Washington influence over Saudi nuclear safety and prevent rival powers such as China or Russia from filling the gap.

Conservative outlets, including Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, questioned why the agreement was announced without a normalization component, noting that the Biden administration had linked nuclear cooperation to the Abraham Accords. The White House denied that President Trump had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the change.

The announcement created confusion among officials, with some suggesting that the required congressional notifications had not yet been sent. The Energy Department maintains that the agreement was fully coordinated with the White House and State Department.