Trump Links Saudi Nuclear Tech Transfer to Israel Normalization

Former US President Donald Trump stated that the transfer of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia is contingent upon the kingdom normalizing relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. The US Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed an agreement on nuclear cooperation. Under this agreement, the US agrees to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia by building the country's first nuclear reactor. This agreement will be submitted to Congress for review and approval. Trump has been pursuing a nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia since the early days of his presidency, and President Joe Biden has also promoted a nuclear agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia, linking it to the Abraham Accords. However, Saudi Arabia has withheld its signature on the Abraham Accords until a condition for the establishment of a Palestinian state is met irreversibly. Therefore, Trump on Thursday set the condition that Saudi Arabia and Israel must sign the Abraham Accords before he agrees to transfer nuclear technology. He posted on social media that Saudi Arabia needs to sign an agreement with Israel. Reiterating the issue at the White House, Trump said that for this to be done (transferring nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia), they must become members of the Abraham Accords. He added that although he did not discuss this matter with Energy Secretary Chris Wright before the cabinet signed the agreement, he is confident that all parties understand this issue. Trump expressed confidence that the two countries will eventually reach an agreement, and Saudi Arabia will obtain civilian nuclear technology.