President reverses course within 24 hours of signing, insisting Riyadh join Abraham Accords and drop uranium enrichment plans

Less than a day after the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a long-anticipated civilian nuclear cooperation deal, President Donald Trump has thrown the agreement into doubt, insisting it cannot move forward unless Riyadh normalises relations with Israel.

Trump also said Saudi Arabia would not be allowed to enrich uranium under the deal—contradicting earlier reports about its original terms.

The agreement, signed at the U.S. Department of Energy headquarters in Washington by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi officials in Riyadh, was meant to deepen civilian nuclear collaboration between both countries after years of negotiations.

But Trump’s sudden intervention on Thursday reportedly blindsided both U.S. negotiators and Saudi counterparts. Sources familiar with the discussions said the president was displeased that the deal was made public without his direct sign-off. Concerns reportedly grew after backlash from conservative commentators and nuclear policy experts, who questioned the absence of any requirement for Saudi-Israel normalisation.

The White House, however, insisted that Saudi recognition of Israel has always been central to Trump’s Middle East strategy, maintaining that the nuclear deal is tied to broader regional peace efforts. Meanwhile, officials offered conflicting accounts over whether the agreement had been fully finalised before it was announced.

The deal has also sparked concern among nuclear non-proliferation experts, who warn that any allowance for uranium enrichment or limits on international inspections could pose serious security risks.

Supporters argue the opposite—that a U.S.-Saudi partnership would ensure stricter oversight of the kingdom’s nuclear ambitions and prevent it from seeking support from rivals such as China or Russia.

The agreement still requires approval from the U.S. Congress. Its fate now largely depends on whether Saudi Arabia accepts Trump’s new condition to normalise ties with Israel—a step Riyadh has repeatedly said hinges on meaningful progress toward establishing a Palestinian state.