Trump ties Saudi nuclear deal to Israel normalization

In late July 2026, the Trump administration announced a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. President Trump stated that the deal is conditional on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel and joining the Abraham Accords, a set of agreements that established diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020.

The agreement includes non-proliferation safeguards, but critics like analyst Pape warn it could turn Saudi Arabia into a "nuclear threshold state" and escalate tensions with Iran. Israeli officials have also expressed alarm over the deal, which would allow Saudi Arabia to develop nuclear energy under U.S. supervision.