How Trump upended the Saudi nuclear deal less than 24 hours after its signing
Earthguardiansonline.com – “`html
How Trump Upended the Saudi Nuclear Deal
On Wednesday afternoon, officials gathered at the downtown Washington headquarters of the Energy Department for an event more than two decades in the making: the signing of a civilian nuclear agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Two sets of American and Saudi flags were placed on stage and on the table where Energy Secretary Chris Wright was seated. A large screen beamed in his Saudi counterpart from Riyadh.
After months of delay, the arrangement was finally signed. The Saudis had won much of their wish list for the deal. But as quickly as it was announced, it seemed to fall apart.
Trump’s Last-Minute Conditions
Thursday morning, Trump said in a social media post that the deal was subject to a new condition: Saudi Arabia would have to join the Abraham Accords, an initiative dating back to Trump’s first administration that led to several Arab countries normalizing their diplomatic stance toward Israel. Trump also denied that the agreement would allow uranium enrichment. The president, according to a source familiar with the matter, was already angry over the unveiling of the deal, which Wright had not told Trump he would be announcing.
Trump’s frustration was then exacerbated, sources told CNN, after a flurry of criticism from experts and conservative media outlets. This included skeptical coverage on his preferred channel, Fox News, and on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal that questioned why the deal was made absent a normalization agreement — something both outlets pointedly noted President Joe Biden had been seeking. The new condition, which the White House insisted was long a goal of Trump’s and shouldn’t have shocked anyone, surprised the administration’s own nuclear negotiators, for whom the Abraham Accords condition was unexpected, two sources briefed on the matter told CNN.
As confusion took over, White House officials pointed the finger at their colleagues at the Energy Department, according to one source, who said the White House had asked the Energy Department not to roll the agreement out on Wednesday. But Wright, who White House officials have complained in the past got over his skis, went ahead anyway, including in an interview on Fox Business. The deal, in the mind of some Trump aides, was not finalized since letters required to be sent to Congress hadn’t gone out.
And the president and many of his senior staffers were livid at the decision to roll out the deal, the source said. Trump told reporters Friday that he and his energy secretary — who was standing behind him in the Oval Office — hadn’t discussed it when asked if he’d authorized Wright to sign agreement. “We didn’t talk about it, but it was always understood — and Chris knew and Saudi Arabia knew — that if they didn’t join the Abraham Accords… I’m not going to do the deal,” Trump said.
“President Trump’s energy team is fully aligned, and always has been: the civil nuclear deal being brokered between the United States and Saudi Arabia is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the successful Abraham Accords, which will help bring true peace to the Middle East,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement Thursday evening.
The Energy Department stressed its close coordination with the White House. “This is fake news. The Department of Energy has closely coordinated the negotiations and then announcement of these agreements with the White House and the State Department. Any suggestion otherwise is false,” press secretary Ben Dietderich said in a statement Thursday evening, adding that the deal and the Abraham Accords “achieve a common goal — delivering lasting peace through commerce, not conflict.” The White House’s ire grew when the Thursday press briefing was dominated by questions over the deal. Karoline Leavitt noted that Trump was the “final dealmaker” when asked why the new condition had not been part of Wednesday’s announcement.
Trump’s Truth Social post Thursday morning also blindsided the Saudis, for whom the nuclear deal — which did not include the normalization requirement — had been a major triumph. The accord would permit uranium enrichment on Saudi soil once certain conditions were met while limiting a UN watchdog agency’s ability to inspect suspected covert nuclear sites. CNN has reached out to the Saudi embassy.
The move was a last-minute twist in a years-long diplomatic effort. Nearly two decades after the US and Saudi Arabia first announced their intent to cooperate on nuclear energy, the two countries reached a tentative agreement in October of last year, when Wright and his Saudi counterpart made a joint statement. The Trump administration submitted a waiver report to Congress soon afterward due to the deal not requiring the Saudis to sign a standard agreement called the Additional Protocol with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
What Happens Next?
But after the initial waiver request to Congress, the deal faced renewed scrutiny as Trump’s team pushed for additional commitments. The president’s insistence on the Abraham Accords condition has complicated matters for both sides, with Saudi officials reportedly seeking clarification on whether the requirement is absolute or negotiable. Meanwhile, congressional Republicans and Democrats alike are reviewing the implications of the revised terms.
For now, the status of the agreement remains uncertain. With multiple conditions now on the table and competing narratives emerging from Washington, all eyes are on Riyadh and the White House to see whether this historic nuclear partnership can survive its rocky debut.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Abraham Accords condition?
The Abraham Accords condition requires Saudi Arabia to join the diplomatic initiative that led to several Arab countries normalizing their relationship with Israel. This was a new addition to the nuclear deal announced by Trump on Thursday.
Will Saudi Arabia be allowed to enrich uranium?
Initially, the deal permitted uranium enrichment on Saudi soil once certain conditions were met. However, Trump denied that the agreement would allow enrichment, adding another layer of complexity to the negotiations.
Why was the deal announced without Trump’s knowledge?
According to sources, Energy Secretary Chris Wright proceeded with the announcement despite White House officials asking him not to. Wright had not informed Trump that he would be announcing the deal on Wednesday.
What is the Additional Protocol?
The Additional Protocol is a standard agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency that allows for more comprehensive inspections. The original deal did not require Saudi Arabia to sign this protocol, which prompted a waiver report to Congress.
“`
