Trump says ‘it’s time’ for Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel

The United States and Saudi Arabia signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement on Wednesday, framed initially as a multibillion-dollar partnership benefiting both nations. However, President Trump announced on social media the following day that Saudi Arabia must first normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords framework before the deal can proceed.

When questioned about whether the Department of Energy had acted prematurely in announcing the agreement without the Israel condition, Trump clarified that the requirement was always understood, stating that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Arabia both knew of this expectation. Trump emphasized that the Abraham Accords have been successful and that it is now time for Saudi Arabia to join them.

Saudi Arabia has not yet publicly responded to Trump's latest statement. However, the kingdom has historically maintained that it will not establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel until there is a viable pathway to Palestinian statehood, a position that conflicts with Israel's current government stance.

The nuclear agreement, described as a decades-long partnership, will be submitted to Congress for review. While full details remain undisclosed, reports suggest the arrangement may allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium domestically rather than importing nuclear fuel. Trump later clarified that no enrichment of material would occur. US contractors, including nuclear reactor designer Westinghouse, are expected to manage the project, enabling Washington to maintain oversight and prevent nuclear proliferation.