The future of a proposed 30-year nuclear cooperation deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia is now in question. Former President Donald Trump has tied the agreement to Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements with Israel brokered during his administration. The linkage is reshaping energy and geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.
What the deal would do
The pact would allow the U.S. to supply nuclear technology and fuel to Saudi Arabia. In return, Riyadh would agree to strict nonproliferation rules, including a ban on enriching uranium or reprocessing spent fuel. That's a key condition Washington has long demanded. But the Trump-era condition adds a new layer: Saudi Arabia must also normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords framework.
Why the linkage matters
Saudi Arabia has not yet joined the Abraham Accords. The kingdom has signaled openness but also set its own conditions, including progress on a Palestinian state. By tying the nuclear deal to the accords, Trump is effectively making Saudi recognition of Israel a prerequisite for U.S. nuclear assistance. That could delay or derail the agreement entirely, especially if the Saudi government balks at the political cost.
Uncertainty ahead
The deal was already controversial. Critics in the U.S. worry about setting a precedent for nuclear proliferation in the region. Supporters argue it would counterbalance Iran's nuclear program and deepen the U.S.-Saudi alliance. Now, with the Abraham Accords condition, the timeline is unclear. Saudi officials have not publicly commented on the linkage. The Biden administration has not endorsed the Trump-era condition, leaving the deal in limbo.
What happens next depends on whether Riyadh sees normalization with Israel as worth the nuclear prize. For now, the 30-year pact sits on hold, caught between two of the most consequential diplomatic pushes of the past decade.
