Trump sends Saudi nuclear deal to Congress but says Riyadh must recognize Israel

President Donald Trump has forwarded a proposed nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress, but has stipulated that the kingdom must recognize Israel before the deal can be approved. The agreement, struck in July, would permit U.S. firms to export civilian nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, with a potential worth of tens of billions of dollars.

It is expected to be presented to congressional committees within the next few days. The 30-year deal hinges on the construction of AP1000 reactors, a project in which Westinghouse, a joint venture of Canada-based Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management, would play a significant role. However, critics argue that the proposal lacks substantial nonproliferation safeguards, such as barring Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing nuclear waste.

The deal's prospects are clouded by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has complicated Saudi Arabia's willingness to normalize relations with Israel. Former President Joe Biden and Trump both sought to tie the nuclear deal to the Abraham Accords, a series of U.S.-brokered agreements that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority nations.