President Donald Trump pushed back Friday against suggestions that his administration sent mixed signals on a proposed civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, insisting that no one in his administration acted independently after he added a new condition tying the deal to the kingdom’s participation in the Abraham Accords.
The exchange took place during an Oval Office event focused on domestic nuclear innovation, where New York Times reporter Shawn McCreesh questioned Trump about what appeared to be a shift in the administration’s position following months of negotiations with Saudi Arabia.
McCreesh noted that Energy Secretary Chris Wright had announced a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi officials after roughly 18 months of negotiations, giving the impression that the agreement was effectively complete before Trump later announced an additional requirement.
“I want to ask about the Saudi nuclear deal,” McCreesh said. “This man over your shoulder announces a big deal after 18 months of negotiating with the Saudis, seems like it’s all done and signed and then you come out and throw some new conditions on top of it, the whole thing blows up.”
The reporter then asked Trump directly, “Did he get out ahead of you, or what happened there?”
The president rejected the premise that there had been any disagreement or lack of coordination within his administration.
“Nobody got out ahead,” Trump replied.
The questions followed the administration’s announcement of a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia. Days later, however, Trump said the agreement would only move forward if Saudi Arabia agreed to normalize relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords.
According to the article, that condition was not included when the cooperation framework was initially announced.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly maintained that it will not establish formal diplomatic relations with Israel without what it describes as a credible pathway toward Palestinian statehood. The kingdom has not publicly responded to Trump’s newly announced requirement.
Explaining his position Friday, Trump said participation in the Abraham Accords was a necessary part of moving forward with the nuclear agreement.
“I just said 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,” Trump said.
The president argued that Saudi Arabia and other countries had previously been reluctant to join because of concerns involving Iran.
“They and others didn’t want to do it because of the problem that they had with Iran,” Trump said. “You don’t have that problem anymore. You don’t have a great power there anymore, you have a problem, but the problem is disappearing day by day.”
Trump went on to describe Iran’s changing position in the region.
“They were the bully in the Middle East. They won’t be that much of a bully anymore. They probably instinctively want to be, but you don’t have the same problem that you would have had four or five months ago before they had no navy, no military, no anti-aircraft, no leaders – I mean, their leaders are gone. A lot of things have changed with respect to that country,” he said.
The president also framed the requirement as an important component of his administration’s broader Middle East strategy.
“So, no, we want them to – it’s a two-way street and we think it’s very important for the future of the Middle East,” Trump said.
He praised the Abraham Accords, saying they have produced positive results for participating nations.
“The Abraham Accords have been incredibly successful, for the countries, as you know, for the countries in them. And I think it’s very important,” Trump said.
Looking ahead, Trump predicted Saudi Arabia would eventually join the agreement.
He also reiterated that the kingdom would be permitted to pursue civilian nuclear energy under the framework, while emphasizing that enrichment would not be part of the arrangement.
“They will do their civil, what I call, civil nuclear but that’s what it is, no enrichment, civil nuclear,” Trump said.
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