Trump Links Saudi Nuclear Deal to Full Normalization with Israel

US President Donald Trump has submitted a historic 30-year nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, making it clear that the deal hinges on Saudi Arabia fully normalizing relations with Israel. This ultimatum, reported by the Wall Street Journal, ties the future of Middle Eastern nuclear energy directly to the expansion of the Abraham Accords, aiming to pressure Riyadh into joining the peace agreements with Israel.

The agreement grants American companies exclusive roles in developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure, countering efforts by China and Russia to dominate this strategic market. However, the deal has sparked political and security concerns in Washington due to a controversial clause allowing uranium enrichment on Saudi soil, a significant shift from decades of US policy aimed at preventing a nuclear arms race in the region.

Under the plan, both countries will conduct a two-year feasibility study for establishing a US-supervised uranium enrichment facility in Saudi Arabia, intended solely for peaceful purposes. Saudi Arabia views civilian nuclear energy as essential for economic growth and energy needs, aiming to utilize its uranium reserves to reduce domestic oil consumption and boost exports.

Despite the economic incentives, Trump's political condition of normalization with Israel remains the main obstacle. The president added this requirement after the nuclear deal was finalized and refuses to back down. A US administration official confirmed that the deal will not proceed without Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and establishing open ties with Israel.

With the agreement now before Congress, intense legislative debates are expected, though legally it will be difficult to block the deal. Overriding a potential presidential veto would require a two-thirds majority. While Saudi Arabia was close to normalizing relations during the Biden administration, the process stalled following the Hamas attack on October 7 and the Gaza conflict. Trump is now leveraging the nuclear deal as a final push to bring Saudi Arabia back to the negotiating table with Israel, despite warnings from watchdog groups about the risks of uranium enrichment in the kingdom altering the Middle East's security balance permanently.