President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia is contingent on the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel. The condition follows the signing of the deal just one day earlier by U.S. and Saudi energy officials.
The shift occurred less than 24 hours after U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed an agreement to develop the first commercial nuclear reactors in Saudi Arabia. While the Energy Department initially announced the deal on Wednesday without mentioning a normalization requirement, Trump used a social media post on Thursday to tie the civil nuclear deal to the Abraham Accords.
The Abraham Accords Condition and Enrichment Disputes
The Abraham Accords, an initiative from Trump’s first term in 2020, previously led several Arab nations—including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates—to recognize Israel. Trump emphasized in the Oval Office on Friday that In order to do it, they have to be a member of the Abraham Accords
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Beyond diplomatic normalization, the deal’s technical terms have become a point of contention. According to CNN, Trump denied that the agreement would allow uranium enrichment. This contradicts other reports regarding the deal’s scope; some sources indicate the accord would permit uranium enrichment on Saudi soil once specific conditions are met, though it would limit the ability of a UN watchdog to inspect suspected covert sites.
The discrepancy has created a visible rift within the administration. Two sources briefed on the matter told CNN that the Abraham Accords condition was unexpected for the administration’s own nuclear negotiators. White House officials reportedly blamed the Energy Department, claiming the White House had asked them not to roll out the agreement on Wednesday.
Saudi Economic Drivers and Israeli Security Concerns
For Riyadh, the nuclear deal represents a critical component of an economic pivot.
However, the prospect of Saudi nuclear capabilities has alarmed some in Israel. Israeli political opposition leaders, former officials and analysts have expressed concerns about the Saudi nuclear energy deal. Israel itself conducts nuclear research, and is widely believed to have nuclear weapons despite a policy of nondisclosure. But it fears other countries in the region developing nuclear programs of their own.
Despite these concerns, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Trump’s decision to link the deal to the Abraham Accords, stating that such a move would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East.
Geopolitical Stakes and the IMEC Corridor
The tension between Riyadh and Jerusalem extends beyond nuclear energy. The India/Middle East/Europe Corridor project is currently at risk.
This suggests a broader strategic gamble by the Trump administration: using the nuclear deal of Saudi Arabia as leverage to force a diplomatic breakthrough. If the deal is finalized, it would provide priority access for American companies—specifically benefiting Westinghouse, which is co-owned by Brookfield Asset Management and Cameco—to enter a market.
The legal path forward remains complex. The agreement must still pass through the U.S. Congress for review. To facilitate this, the Trump administration has already submitted a waiver report to Congress because the deal does not require Saudi Arabia to sign the standard Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Whether the kingdom will accept these terms remains the central uncertainty. Saudi Arabia has historically maintained that it will not normalize relations with Israel until there is a clear pathway to establish a Palestinian state.
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