US-Saudi Civil Nuclear Deal Faces Last-Minute Reversal Over Israel Normalization Condition
On Wednesday afternoon, senior officials at the US Department of Energy headquarters in Washington finalized a long-awaited civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The signing event featured Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, connected via live video from Riyadh. After two decades of negotiations, the Saudis secured significant concessions in the deal. However, the agreement quickly unraveled the next morning when former President Donald Trump announced on social media that the deal would be contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic normalization framework between Israel and several Arab states initiated during his first term. Trump also denied that the agreement would allow Saudi uranium enrichment.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Trump was angered by the announcement of the deal without his prior knowledge and frustrated by critical conservative media coverage, including reports on Fox News and an editorial in The Wall Street Journal questioning why normalization with Israel was not a prerequisite. The White House claimed the new condition had always been Trump's position, but the US negotiating team was reportedly surprised by the sudden demand. Tensions escalated as the White House blamed the Department of Energy for proceeding with the announcement against instructions, while the Energy Department insisted it coordinated closely with the White House and State Department.
The Saudi side was also caught off guard by Trump's social media post, as the original agreement allowed Saudi uranium enrichment under certain conditions and limited International Atomic Energy Agency oversight at sensitive sites. The deal had been stalled for months due to concerns over Iran and congressional approval. Critics expressed worries about proliferation risks and the absence of stringent IAEA safeguards, while supporters emphasized the strategic and commercial benefits of US involvement over rival powers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought to influence the deal to include normalization with Israel or significant progress toward it, reflecting Israel's longstanding opposition to any arrangement that might enable Saudi nuclear weapons development. However, White House officials denied any direct communication between Trump and Netanyahu on this matter. Conservative media criticism appears to have influenced Trump's reversal, with commentators highlighting that the Biden administration had conditioned nuclear cooperation on Saudi normalization efforts, a stance Riyadh resisted.
The Abraham Accords normalization process itself has been stalled since Hamas's October 7, 2023 terror attack and Israel's subsequent military response, which complicated Arab world diplomacy. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has stated he will not normalize relations with Israel without a credible path to a Palestinian state. Trump’s surprise condition reintroduced this longstanding issue into the nuclear deal debate. White House spokeswoman Caroline Lewitt said Trump had discussed the normalization condition with Saudi officials in prior conversations and that talks would continue.
Summary: The US-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation agreement, finalized after two decades, faced a sudden reversal when former President Trump conditioned it on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords normalization with Israel. This unexpected demand, influenced by conservative media criticism and Israeli concerns, disrupted the deal’s announcement and highlighted ongoing regional diplomatic complexities.
Points: - US and Saudi Arabia signed a civil nuclear cooperation deal after 20 years of talks. - Trump reversed course, demanding Saudi Arabia join Abraham Accords for the deal to proceed. - Conservative media criticism and Israeli opposition influenced Trump’s last-minute condition. - The deal allows Saudi uranium enrichment under conditions but limits IAEA oversight. - Saudi Crown Prince refuses normalization without a credible Palestinian state solution. - White House and Energy Department dispute coordination over the deal’s announcement.
Topic: politics israel_relevant: true entities: {"people":["Donald Trump","Chris Wright","Benjamin Netanyahu","Mohammed bin Salman","Caroline Lewitt","Brian Kilmeade","Kayleigh McEnany"],"organizations":["US Department of Energy","International Atomic Energy Agency","Fox News","The Wall Street Journal","White House","US Congress"],"places":["United States","Saudi Arabia","Washington","Riyadh","Israel"]}}
