Trump ties Saudi nuclear pact to Israel normalization
President Trump said a U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement will depend on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, linking the deal to broader Middle-East diplomatic goals.
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States' nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia will be contingent on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered framework for normalizing relations with Israel. He posted on Truth Social that the pact, signed the day before, involves only non-military use of nuclear material and excludes enrichment activities.
"The deal is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords," Trump wrote.
The Energy Department said the agreement provides a legal basis for a long-term partnership that supports economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear non-proliferation. A senior administration official confirmed that Trump approved the deal, which is expected to be sent to Congress for review.
The arrangement would allow U.S. firms to construct a uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia after a joint feasibility study, though it is not expected to require the most stringent United Nations inspections or a ban on enrichment and reprocessing. Critics and non-proliferation groups have warned that the deal could facilitate nuclear weapons development in the region.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously stated that Saudi Arabia does not seek nuclear weapons, but in a 2018 interview said the kingdom would consider developing them if Iran obtained a bomb. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords an "historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East."
The agreement was signed by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman. Saudi officials described the deal as a step to diversify energy sources, advance technology and expand cooperation between the two countries.