U.S. Drops Israel Normalization Demand in Nuclear Talks with Saudi Arabia, Signaling Strategic Shift Ahead of Trump Visit

By: Fern Sidman

In a major policy shift ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Riyadh, the United States is no longer conditioning civil nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia on the normalization of ties between the kingdom and Israel, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions confirmed to The Jerusalem Post. The development marks a significant departure from previous U.S. policy under President Joe Biden, who had sought to expand the Abraham Accords by tying nuclear and defense agreements to Saudi recognition of Israel.

The move, described by The Jerusalem Post as a “major concession,” shines a proverbial spotlight on the changing geopolitical calculus in the region. With the war in Gaza inflaming Arab public opinion and halting progress on normalization efforts, the Trump administration appears focused on re-establishing deep strategic ties with Riyadh while decoupling the issue of Israeli-Saudi normalization from critical civil nuclear negotiations.

As The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday, the decision to uncouple normalization from nuclear cooperation discussions opens a new chapter in the U.S.-Saudi relationship. During his April visit to the kingdom, Energy Secretary Chris Wright signaled that the two nations were on a “pathway” toward a civil nuclear agreement. While National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt declined to confirm specifics, telling Reuters that “any reports on this are speculative,” sources close to the talks say progress is being made—albeit slowly and cautiously.

The Jerusalem Post report emphasized that although the normalization clause has been shelved, significant hurdles remain. Chief among them is Saudi Arabia’s refusal to accept a Section 123 agreement under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act, which mandates strict nonproliferation terms, including prohibitions on uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing—two pathways to nuclear weapons development.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated its desire to domestically enrich uranium, a sticking point for American lawmakers and nonproliferation advocates. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has reaffirmed this position, declaring the kingdom’s intention to enrich uranium and sell the product. These ambitions have set off alarms in both Washington and Jerusalem.

Israeli officials are watching the developments with growing unease. The Jerusalem Post reported that opposition leader Yair Lapid voiced sharp criticism this week, warning that a Saudi deal involving uranium enrichment could “trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East” and place “nuclear capabilities in the hands of unstable regimes.”

Lapid’s remarks reflect broader Israeli anxieties about regional security. With Iran’s nuclear ambitions continuing to fuel tension across the region, any loosening of restrictions on Saudi Arabia could set a dangerous precedent. Indeed, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously declared that the kingdom would pursue nuclear weapons if Iran succeeded in developing them.

One compromise being explored is a so-called “black box” solution, wherein uranium enrichment facilities would exist on Saudi soil but be operated exclusively by U.S. personnel, as was explained in The Jerusalem Post report. Though this model would aim to reconcile the kingdom’s sovereignty with Washington’s nonproliferation demands, it remains a politically sensitive and technically complex option.

President Trump’s forthcoming trip to Riyadh—his second international journey since returning to the White House—will focus not only on nuclear cooperation but also on a sweeping package of economic and military agreements. As The Jerusalem Post reported, negotiations are underway for a U.S. arms deal with Saudi Arabia exceeding $100 billion in value. Additionally, Trump is pressing the kingdom to increase its planned investment in the United States from $600 billion to $1 trillion.

The report in The Jerusalem Post highlighted that this high-stakes diplomacy echoes the transactional tenor of Trump’s first term, when his administration championed arms sales and deepened ties with Gulf allies. Trump’s relationship with Saudi leadership—particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—has long been a cornerstone of his foreign policy agenda. It was under Trump that the Abraham Accords were brokered, normalizing ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Saudi Arabia notably held out, citing the lack of progress on a Palestinian state as a deal-breaker. According to the information in The Jerusalem Post, Riyadh remains firm in its position that recognition of Israel must be contingent upon meaningful concessions to the Palestinians. This has placed limits on how far any U.S. administration can go in pushing for normalization, especially in the context of widespread Arab outrage over Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.

Despite the absence of an imminent breakthrough on normalization, the Trump administration appears committed to reinforcing its strategic alliance with Saudi Arabia. Civil nuclear cooperation, once seen as a bargaining chip tied to normalization, is now being pursued on its own merits. This recalibrated approach, as outlined by The Jerusalem Post, suggests that Washington views Saudi nuclear development not just as an energy diversification effort but as a central component of a broader regional security architecture.

Still, serious concerns remain. Arms control advocates and nonproliferation experts warn that any agreement allowing enrichment could erode the global nonproliferation regime and invite other regional powers to follow suit. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem Post reported that the unresolved status of the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks adds a layer of uncertainty, with Vice President J.D. Vance stating that discussions with Tehran were “so far, so good,” but cautioning that a sustainable deal must ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.

As President Trump prepares for his high-profile visit to Riyadh, the world watches closely. The Jerusalem Post described this moment as one of “strategic consequence,” where the balancing act between diplomacy, security, and energy interests will have ripple effects across the region and beyond.

Whether this new pathway to a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia can produce a secure, sustainable, and nonproliferation-compliant result remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the normalization calculus has shifted—at least for now—and the next steps in U.S.-Saudi-Israeli relations will unfold in an increasingly complex and combustible Middle East.