Trump Links Saudi Nuclear Deal to Normalizing Relations With Israel/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump says the new U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement is conditional on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords. Trump also said the deal prohibits uranium enrichment, although its unpublished terms and reported lack of enhanced international safeguards have raised questions. Saudi Arabia has previously insisted that normalization with Israel requires a clear path toward an independent Palestinian state.
Quick Look
- Trump said the Saudi nuclear agreement depends on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords.
- He said the United States supports only non-enriched civilian nuclear facilities under the deal.
- Saudi Arabia has not confirmed Trump’s description of the normalization requirement.
- Riyadh says normalization requires progress toward Palestinian statehood.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood.
- Netanyahu’s office welcomed possible Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords.
- The nuclear agreement is expected to last 30 years.
- American companies are expected to participate in Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program.
- The full text of the agreement has not been released.
- The pact reportedly excludes the IAEA’s Additional Protocol.
- Congress is expected to review the agreement.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the deal would help U.S. companies compete for Saudi nuclear projects.
Deep Look
Trump Links Nuclear Pact to Abraham Accords
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that implementation of the new U.S.-Saudi civilian nuclear agreement will require Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
Trump said the condition would be fulfilled through Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords, the normalization framework launched during his first administration.
The president wrote that the agreement “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.”
He added that the United States “is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities.”
Trump Says Deal Prohibits Enrichment
Trump said the agreement does not permit Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium.
However, the White House and Saudi Arabia have not released the agreement’s full text, leaving its precise enrichment restrictions and enforcement mechanisms unclear.
A person familiar with the deal previously said it could allow Saudi Arabia to build an enrichment facility after a joint U.S.-Saudi study. That person was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Nonproliferation experts have expressed concern that the agreement may lack sufficient protections against uranium being enriched to weapons-grade levels.
Saudi Arabia Has Not Confirmed Trump’s Condition
The Saudi Embassy in Washington declined to comment on Trump’s claim that the nuclear agreement requires the kingdom to join the Abraham Accords.
Saudi officials have previously said normalization with Israel would require a clear and credible route toward Palestinian statehood.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, arguing that it would pose an unacceptable threat to Israel’s security.
That disagreement remains a major obstacle to a Saudi-Israeli diplomatic agreement.
Netanyahu Welcomes Prospect of Saudi Normalization
Netanyahu’s office praised the possibility of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, calling it a “historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East.”
The statement did not address the new agreement supporting Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy program.
Saudi Arabia is one of the Middle East’s most influential Arab states. Trump views its participation in the accords as essential to creating a broader regional diplomatic structure.
Abraham Accords Expanded Israel’s Regional Ties
The Abraham Accords were launched in 2020 and expanded diplomatic and commercial relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority countries.
Trump has made extending those agreements a central element of his Middle East policy.
However, the aftermath of the Gaza war and the nearly five-month U.S.-Israeli war against Iran have complicated efforts to secure additional normalization agreements.
The accords have also prompted protests in countries including Morocco and Bahrain, where parts of the public oppose normalized relations with Israel.
The Trump administration nevertheless believes Saudi Arabia could join before the end of Trump’s second term.
Nuclear Deal Expected to Last 30 Years
The agreement signed Wednesday is expected to last for 30 years and involve American companies in developing Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear power industry.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman signed the nuclear cooperation framework, known as a 123 agreement.
They also signed what the Trump administration called a “bilateral safeguards agreement.”
The U.S. and Saudi governments said the nuclear agreement will be submitted to Congress for review.
Enhanced IAEA Protocol Reportedly Excluded
The agreement does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol, according to a second person familiar with the decision.
The protocol gives international inspectors broader access to nuclear sites, materials and information. It is designed to help verify that countries are not conducting undeclared nuclear activities.
The reported absence of those enhanced inspections has contributed to concerns among lawmakers and nonproliferation specialists.
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said the agreement supports “efforts to diversify energy sources, advance cutting-edge technologies, and expand opportunities for cooperation and investment in ways that serve the mutual interests of the two friendly countries.”
Enrichment Could Provide Path Toward Weaponization
Uranium enrichment does not automatically produce a nuclear weapon. Developing an atomic bomb requires additional technical steps, including warhead design and the ability to use synchronized high explosives.
Still, enrichment capability can provide the material and expertise needed to pursue weaponization.
Concerns about that pathway have shaped Western opposition to Iran’s enrichment program and are now influencing scrutiny of the Saudi agreement.
Rubio Promotes Opportunities for US Companies
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement would help ensure that Saudi Arabia chooses American companies to develop its nuclear power sector.
China, South Korea, France and Russia are among the countries whose companies could compete for Saudi nuclear projects.
“We’re not the only show in town, but we’re the best show in town,” Rubio said. “We want to make sure that it’s our companies they’re picking.”
The administration argues that American participation would provide economic benefits while keeping Saudi nuclear development connected to U.S. technology and standards.
Congressional Scrutiny Begins
The pact is already attracting attention from Congress, nuclear policy experts and some Israeli officials.
The United Arab Emirates previously signed its own 123 agreement with the United States before building the Barakah nuclear plant with South Korean assistance.
Unlike the reported Saudi framework, the UAE agreed not to pursue domestic enrichment. Experts have described that commitment as the “gold standard” for peaceful nuclear cooperation.
Sherman Questions Rubio’s Position
As a Florida senator in 2018, Rubio supported bipartisan legislation requiring Congress to approve any nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia.
Democratic lawmakers reintroduced the measure in March, but it has not become law.
Rep. Brad Sherman of California, who worked with Rubio on the original proposal, said he “misses Sen. Rubio,” suggesting that Rubio’s current approach differs from his earlier position.
“I hope that Sen. Rubio will return to us and insist that Congress approve any agreement,” Sherman said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.
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