Donald Trump introduced an unexpected twist this Thursday to the civil nuclear cooperation agreement signed just a day earlier between Washington and Riyadh, stating that its final approval depends on Saudi Arabia normalizing its relations with Israel and adhering to the Abraham Accords.
The president announced it in a message on his Truth Social network, in which he also ruled out that the agreement includes uranium enrichment on Saudi territory.
"The civil nuclear energy agreement (which will not include the enrichment of material!) currently being negotiated between the U.S. Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, and which is limited exclusively to non-military uses, similar to those already in place with Iran and the United Arab Emirates (among others), will be approved, but it is entirely contingent upon Saudi Arabia adhering to the respected and successful Abraham Accords," Trump wrote.
The agreement signed on Wednesday
The so-called “Agreement 123” -a technical designation derived from Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act- was signed on Wednesday by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman.
The agreement, valued at tens of billions of dollars and lasting for 30 years, paves the way for U.S. companies—among them Westinghouse Electric—to develop the civil nuclear infrastructure of the kingdom.
Officials from the Trump administration had previously indicated that the text left open the possibility for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its territory following a two-year joint feasibility study, a concession that raised concerns among non-proliferation experts.
Trump denied that interpretation with his post on Thursday.
What are the Abraham Accords?
The Abraham Accords are a framework for diplomatic normalization between Israel and Arab countries promoted by Trump during his first term.
On September 15, 2020, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and the United States signed the foundational declaration; Morocco joined in December of that year, and Sudan signed an accession without full ratification.
Saudi Arabia has never joined that framework.
Riyadh maintains that it will only recognize Israel when there is a credible path toward an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Reactions: From Netanyahu to Sanders
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamín Netanyahu welcomed the condition imposed by Trump.
"The accession of Saudi Arabia to the Abraham Accords would represent a historic advance for peace in the Middle East," he stated in a statement; and noted that it is a good time "to expand the circle of peace" following the 40-day war against Iran last March.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported the presidential stance:
"Any agreement we sign with any country in the world regarding civil nuclear energy will include safeguards to ensure it cannot turn into a weapons program."
From the Senate, Bernie Sanders questioned Trump's consistency:
"Trump claims that his war against Iran aims to prevent an authoritarian country from enriching nuclear material. Yet, he is allowing his best friends in Saudi Arabia—one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world—to do just that. It is absurd."
The fear of a regional nuclear arms race
The agreement comes as the United States has been carrying out military attacks against Iran for more than twelve days, a strategic rival of Saudi Arabia, in a conflict that included bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2026.
Experts warn that a Saudi nuclear program could trigger a chain proliferation.
Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, was blunt:
"If Saudi Arabia takes this step, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Egypt will follow suit. Thinking that this will end well is delusional."
In contrast, Jennifer T. Gordon of the Atlantic Council defended the agreement as a "victory for the United States against Russia and China," noting that "the only question was whether the kingdom would choose to work with the United States and its allies, or if it would turn to Russia or China."
The agreement must be reviewed by Congress, although blocking it would require a two-thirds majority to override a potential presidential veto, making it technically unlikely to be rejected as long as the Republicans control the chamber.
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