President Donald Trump added a new condition to the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal, requiring Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, casting doubt on the agreement just days after its announcement.
President Donald Trump’s abrupt addition of a new condition to the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal has thrown the agreement into uncertainty, as Riyadh faces pressure to normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords. The stipulation, revealed on July 23, 2026, came less than 24 hours after the deal was finalized, with Trump stating it was totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.
A Last-Minute Stipulation Upends the Deal
The U.S. Energy Department and Saudi officials had initially presented the agreement as a landmark 30-year partnership for a civilian nuclear program, with no mention of the Abraham Accords condition. However, Trump’s sudden demand, made via social media, contradicted the deal’s original framework. The president is always the final dealmaker,
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, citing prior discussions with Saudi leadership. He has said if they don’t join the Abraham Accords, the deal is off.
Trump’s move stunned both U.S. and Saudi officials. The agreement, which had been in negotiation for years, was meant to secure American companies’ role in Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure while countering Iranian influence. But the new requirement—linking nuclear cooperation to Israel normalization—introduced a political hurdle Riyadh had long resisted. Would Saudi decide to do a complete 180 on what it has declared for the past three years, or 30 years? Quite dubious,
said H.A. Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute, a UK defense think tank.
White House Defends the Stipulation
Leavitt insisted the condition had been part of prior discussions, citing Trump’s repeated assertions that Saudi-Israel normalization was a prerequisite for the deal. The president has spoken directly with the Saudis about this in numerous conversations in the past,
she said. The White House also emphasized that the agreement would ultimately benefit American industry workers and supply chains,
framing it as an “America First” victory.
Elisa Ewers of the Council on Foreign Relations called it Leave it to this administration to negotiate after the signatures are barely dry.
Regional and Strategic Implications
The Abraham Accords condition has raised concerns about regional stability. Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Gulf, has historically tied its recognition of Israel to a Palestinian statehood resolution. Netanyahu’s office called the stipulation a historic leap forward for peace,
but Riyadh has yet to comment. Meanwhile, the deal’s potential to enable uranium enrichment—alleged in some reports—has alarmed nonproliferation experts.
The Associated Press noted that while the agreement could allow a uranium-enrichment facility, Trump’s statement on Truth Social explicitly denied enrichment: There will be no enrichment of material!
Congress and the Path Forward
The agreement is now pending congressional review, with lawmakers from both parties expressing concerns. Some, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, defended the deal’s safeguards, stating that any civil nuclear agreement signed by Washington with another country is going to be one that will have safeguards in place to ensure that it can’t be turned into a weapons program.
However, critics warn it could spark a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It would be quite shocking if the U.S. were to allow Saudi Arabia uranium enrichment facilities,
said Rosemary Kelanic, a nonproliferation expert.
The outcome hinges on whether Riyadh will accept the Abraham Accords condition. Trump’s history of shifting positions—such as his abrupt reversal on a 20% fee for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz—adds uncertainty. So it could be that by tomorrow, this goes away from the president’s mind,
Gause said. But for now, the deal remains in limbo, with Saudi Arabia’s response and congressional action shaping its fate.
