United States: President Donald Trump said a proposed US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement will only move forward if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords, reaffirming that the deal would be limited to peaceful nuclear energy and would not permit uranium enrichment for military purposes.
What Did Trump Say About the Nuclear Deal?
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said the proposed agreement would support only non-military nuclear activities, adding that there would be “no enrichment of material.”
“The Civil Nuclear Deal… pertains only to non-military use… and will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” Trump wrote.
Trump also said the United States supports civilian nuclear facilities that do not involve weapons-related enrichment.
The comments came after the United States and Saudi Arabia reached an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation that would allow the kingdom to develop nuclear reactors using US technology. The Trump administration said on Wednesday the agreement complies with the US Atomic Energy Act and international nonproliferation standards.
How Has Saudi Arabia Responded?
Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that it will not join the Abraham Accords without an agreed roadmap toward the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
Saudi officials have said the agreement is intended to support the kingdom’s efforts to diversify its energy sources while adhering to the highest international standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.
The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term in 2020, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
The proposed US-Saudi nuclear agreement remains contingent on broader diplomatic developments, with Saudi Arabia continuing to link normalization with Israel to progress on the Palestinian issue.