Saudi nuclear deal hinges on acceptance of the Abraham Accords

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - President Donald Trump said Thursday that a recently announced agreement to provide Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear program is contingent on the kingdom normalizing relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords. [KTRE]

President Donald Trump tied approval of a civilian nuclear partnership with Saudi Arabia to the kingdom's willingness to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, according to a statement posted Thursday on his social media platform. The nuclear arrangement, which the White House disclosed just days prior, would only receive presidential authorization if Saudi Arabia agrees to join the Abraham Accords framework, Trump indicated.

The Abraham Accords, a diplomatic initiative developed during Trump's initial presidency, facilitated recognition agreements between Israel and multiple Arab nations. Trump characterized the framework as "very respected and successful" in his Thursday message about the Saudi nuclear proposal.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed questions regarding the conditional nature of the deal during a media briefing. When asked about Saudi Arabia's stated requirement that Palestinian statehood precede any normalization with Israel, Leavitt declined to elaborate on presidential discussions but emphasized Trump's commitment to the matter. "This is something that he feels very strongly about and has spoken about in the past and will continue to uphold," Leavitt stated.

The spokesperson clarified that the nuclear agreement remains under negotiation and would be finalized contingent on the president's specified conditions. She noted that the arrangement, as currently conceived, would grant preferential status to American firms participating in Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy sector, positioning the accord as beneficial for U.S. workers and supply chains.

When pressed about the contrasting treatment of Saudi Arabia versus Iran regarding nuclear matters, Leavitt reiterated that the agreement's framework was still evolving and would ultimately depend on fulfilling Trump's stated requirement.

As of Thursday, the Saudi government had not publicly responded to Trump's requirement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the prospect in a written statement, characterizing potential Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords as a transformative development for regional relations.