Trump Reverses Saudi Nuclear Deal Over Normalization Clause After Energy Secretary Leak

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civilian nuclear agreement on July 23, 2026, at the Department of Energy headquarters in Washington, but President Donald Trump canceled the deal within 24 hours. The agreement, which had been in development for over two decades, was announced by Energy Secretary Chris Wright without Trump's prior approval, sparking the president's anger. Trump was further incensed by American media criticism highlighting the absence of a normalization condition with Israel, a demand previously pushed by former President Joe Biden.

Trump publicly declared that Saudi Arabia must join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel for the deal to proceed. This unexpected condition surprised not only the Saudis but also the U.S. negotiating team. The original agreement allowed Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium under certain conditions with limited International Atomic Energy Agency oversight, a point that raised concerns among nuclear nonproliferation experts.

Inside the U.S. administration, blame was directed at the Energy Department for proceeding with the announcement despite instructions not to, while the department denied any lack of coordination, calling such claims "fake news." Some U.S. officials suspected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu influenced Trump's shift to include the normalization clause, though the White House denied any direct communication between Trump and Netanyahu before the announcement.

The deal had faced opposition in Congress and from experts worried about nuclear proliferation risks and Saudi Arabia's potential to seek alternative partners like China or Russia. Supporters argued that U.S. involvement would ensure safety standards and prevent such outcomes. The White House emphasized that the nuclear deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords to promote genuine peace in the Middle East.