On July 23, 2026, former U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that a civil nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia is conditioned on Saudi Arabia's recognition of Israel through the Abraham Accords. Trump wrote that the deal would require Riyadh to ratify the accords, which normalize relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
The statement comes amid ongoing negotiations between Washington and Riyadh over a civilian nuclear program, which would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium for energy purposes. The Biden administration has been pursuing a broader normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but progress has been slow due to regional tensions and Saudi demands for security guarantees and a path to Palestinian statehood.
Trump's post did not provide specific details on the timeline or terms of the nuclear agreement. The Abraham Accords, brokered by the Trump administration in 2020, led to normalization deals between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, but Saudi Arabia has not yet joined.
Experts note that any U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal would require congressional approval and strict nonproliferation safeguards. Saudi Arabia has insisted on the right to enrich uranium, which raises concerns about potential weapons proliferation in the volatile Middle East region.
