Trump ties Saudi nuclear deal to Israel recognition
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- Trump posted on Truth Social that the "Civil Nuclear Deal" will be approved only if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords, stating "There will be no enrichment of material!" and limiting the agreement to non-military use.
- The US-Saudi agreement is described as a "peaceful nuclear co-operation agreement" granting "great access for American companies in the Saudi nuclear energy programme," per the US energy department, and now heads to Congress for review.
- Saudi Arabia has previously conditioned Israel recognition on the establishment of a Palestinian state and had not responded to Trump's remarks at the time of publication.
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS News in 2018 that if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, Saudi Arabia would "follow suit as soon as possible."
- Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu's office called Saudi joining the accords "an historic leap forward for peace," while Economy Minister Nir Barkat said Israel "can manage it" if Saudi Arabia operated peaceful nuclear power.
- Defense Priorities' Rosemary Kelanic said allowing Saudi uranium enrichment on its own soil would be "quite shocking," noting "The US has never helped another country enrich on their own soil."
- Trump's Republican Party controls both chambers of Congress, and opponents of the deal "do not appear to have the votes needed to block it."
Why it matters: Trump's conditioning the nuclear deal on Abraham Accords membership forces Saudi Arabia to choose between nuclear cooperation and its longstanding Palestinian-state precondition, while the no-enrichment clause averts a proliferation red line experts called unprecedented — and Republicans control both chambers of Congress, leaving opponents short of votes to block it.
