Trump sets new condition for Saudi nuclear deal, demands Israel recognition first
The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally… pic.twitter.com/ZSS4Vgubhp
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 23, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, July 23, announced a major update in the proposed nuclear deal between the US and Saudi Arabia, adding a new condition that was not there when the deal was announced.
The landmark 30-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between Saudi Arabia and the US allows American firms to build reactors and develop infrastructure in the kingdom.
Trump links Saudi nuclear deal to Israel ties
President Trump, writing a post on Truth Social, stepped up conditions on Saudi Arabia, saying that there would be “no enrichment of material” under the agreement and the civil nuclear deal would not be approved until the kingdom normalizes its relationship with Israel.
The Civil Nuclear Deal between the US and Saudi Arabia “which pertains only to non-military use” will be approved, "but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords."
The US-brokered agreements aimed at normalizing relations with Israel were forged during Trump’s first term and signed by several majority-Muslim countries.
Incorporating the other countries of the Middle East into the deal has been one of the biggest aspirations of President Donald Trump.
Talking about the nature of the deal, Trump highlighted that it is similar to what Iran and the UAE (and others) already have.
“The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities,” Trump concluded his post.
Saudi reiterates Palestine condition for Israel normalization
While the White House made the normalization of the relationship between Saudi and Israel a condition for any deal allowing the Gulf kingdom to enrich uranium, Saudi leaders have long insisted that would not be possible without meaningful progress toward a Palestinian state.
While Israel has repeatedly dismissed the idea of statehood for Palestine, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has maintained that Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would be a significant step toward maintaining peace in the Middle East.
Trump approves Saudi Nuclear Deal for Congressional review
A senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday, July 22, that Trump had approved the deal, which was expected to be submitted to Congress for review.
The Energy Department said Wednesday that the agreements “lay the legal foundation for a decades-long, multi-billion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation.”
The Abraham Accords, US-brokered agreements signed in 2020, established normalized diplomatic, economic, and security relations between Israel and several Arab nations, notably the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco
