Trump Links Saudi Nuclear Deal to Israeli Recognition
United States President Donald Trump has submitted to Congress a landmark thirty-year civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, but with a condition: Riyadh must first recognize Israel. The proposed deal could reshape global oil markets and Middle East diplomacy.
The agreement, which was initially negotiated and finalized in July 2026, would allow United States energy corporations to export advanced civilian nuclear technology to the Gulf monarchy. However, President Trump has tied the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative to the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel under the umbrella of the Abraham Accords.
The pact specifically targets the construction and operational deployment of AP1000 nuclear reactors across Saudi Arabia, valued in the tens of billions of dollars. If Congress fails to adopt a joint resolution of disapproval within the ninety-day review period, the agreement would automatically enter into full legal force.