President Donald Trump has removed the requirement for Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel as a condition for progressing in civil nuclear talks, marking a major departure from previous US policy. The shift comes ahead of the American president’s high-stakes visit to Saudi Arabia, where nuclear energy cooperation, regional security, and major economic agreements are expected to dominate the agenda.
Under the Biden administration, Washington had tied Saudi nuclear ambitions to progress on normalization with Israel, mirroring the approach used to broker the Abraham Accords. Saudi Arabia, however, has long insisted it would not recognize Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state. The commander-in-chief’s decision to decouple the issues allows Saudi nuclear discussions to proceed independently.
Israeli officials have voiced concern over the policy change, fearing it sidelines Israeli interests. One senior Israeli official said the administration does not currently have the Senate support needed to finalize a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia without Israeli involvement or endorsement.
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A central point of contention remains the kingdom’s reluctance to sign a Section 123 agreement under the US Atomic Energy Act, which prohibits uranium enrichment and reprocessing of spent fuel—activities that could be used to develop nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia seeks the right to enrich uranium on its own soil. A compromise under discussion is a “black box” model, in which US personnel would retain exclusive access to a Saudi-based enrichment facility.
Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions are part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the kingdom’s energy sources. Nuclear power would reduce domestic oil consumption and allow greater crude exports. Yet the prospect has alarmed arms control advocates, particularly given past remarks by the crown prince about acquiring nuclear weapons if Iran does.
Adding to Israel’s sense of exclusion, President Trump has no plans to visit Israel during his upcoming trip, which will include stops in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Instead, he is expected to host a summit with leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council focused on expanding trade and investment, including a potential $100 billion US arms package and a $1 trillion Saudi investment pledge.
The evolving policy reflects a broader shift in the US president’s approach to the Middle East—one that prioritizes economic engagement and strategic realignment over traditional alliances. Israeli leaders have expressed growing unease about being left out of key decisions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently reiterated Israel’s readiness to defend itself independently. Defense Minister Israel Katz added, “Israel must be able to defend itself by its own forces against any threat and any enemy.”
As US-Saudi negotiations proceed and the regional balance continues to shift, questions remain about whether the American president’s moves will lead to breakthroughs or new fault lines.