President Donald Trump stated on Friday that before a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia can proceed, the country must join the Abraham Accords. This requirement has reportedly been understood throughout negotiations.
In response to a query about introducing a new condition after Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced progress on the nuclear deal, Trump dismissed any notion that he was late in establishing this prerequisite. He clarified, “No, nobody got out ahead. In order to do it, they have to be a member of the Abraham Accords, which have been very successful. But it’s time now that they do it.”
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The Trump administration is pushing for broader adoption of both large conventional and smaller nuclear reactors. This is part of a series of executive orders from Trump, who views nuclear power as vital for data centers and economic development.
When asked about whether Wright was authorized to sign the agreement, Trump asserted that the stipulation was never ambiguous. “Well, we didn’t talk about it, but it was always understood. And Chris knew and Saudi Arabia knew that if they joined the Abraham Accords, the deal is not, I’m not going to do the deal,” he said.
A follow-up question concerning Wright’s actions when the condition was still pending prompted Trump to say any contract must gain approval from Congress. The agreement won’t advance without Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords.
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“Because they understood that, subject to Congress and everything else, in order for that deal to go through, they had to sign into the Abraham Accords,” Trump remarked. He believes that the Accords promote Middle Eastern peace.
Trump highlighted changes in regional security following Iran’s diminished military abilities. “There’s no longer an Iran factor. There’s no longer Iran to worry about because they’ve been reduced in terms of their capability and power by many fold,” he asserted.
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The President stressed that any Saudi Arabia agreement would focus solely on civilian nuclear energy. “They’ll join and they’ll do their civil. It’s really, it’s civil nuclear. But that’s what it is. No enrichment. It’s civil nuclear,” he emphasized.
The announcement occurred during an Oval Office event celebrating a major milestone for advanced nuclear energy. Four self-funded reactor companies met Trump’s target of introducing new reactor designs by July Fourth. Trump called this a “historic milestone for civilian nuclear energy” and a “renaissance of nuclear power in America.”
The White House has not yet replied to Fox News Digital’s request for comments. Jasmine Baehr serves as a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital, focusing on politics, military, legal issues, and cultural matters.