PNN – In comments to CNN, informed sources have explained how Trump backed away from the agreement with Saudi Arabia.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; U.S. and Saudi officials gathered on Wednesday afternoon at the Department of Energy headquarters in downtown Washington for an event that had been more than two decades in the making: the signing of a nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
The flags of the United States and Saudi Arabia were displayed on stage and on the table where U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright was seated. A large screen also showed a live feed of his Saudi counterpart from Riyadh. After months of delay, the agreement was finally signed.
CNN reported that the Saudis had secured much of what they sought in the agreement.
According to the report, however, the deal fell apart just as quickly as it had been announced. On Thursday morning, Trump stated in a social media post that the agreement was contingent upon a new condition: Saudi Arabia must join the “Abraham Accords.”
The “Abraham Accords” refer to agreements from Trump’s first term that led to the normalization of relations between several Arab nations and the Israeli regime. Trump also denied reports that the deal would allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that the U.S. President was already angry about the unveiling of the agreement because Wright (the Energy Secretary) had not briefed Trump prior to the official announcement.
Sources told CNN that a wave of criticism from experts and conservative media outlets further fueled Trump’s anger.
Among these criticisms were doubts raised about the deal on Fox News—Trump’s favorite network. A Wall Street Journal editorial also questioned why the agreement was reached without securing a normalization deal with Israel. Both outlets pointedly noted that even Joe Biden had sought such an agreement.
Two informed sources told CNN that this new condition took the administration’s own nuclear negotiators by surprise, as the Abraham Accords requirement came as a sudden and unexpected development. Nevertheless, the White House insists that this issue had long been one of Trump’s objectives and should not have caught anyone off guard.
According to one source, as confusion mounted, White House officials pointed fingers at their colleagues at the Department of Energy, claiming that the White House had asked the department not to announce the agreement on Wednesday.
However, Lighthizer—whom White House officials had previously complained would sometimes overstep or go too far—pressed ahead with the plan and even appeared in an interview with Fox Business.
In the view of some of Trump’s advisors, the deal had not yet been finalized, as the mandatory letters required for submission to Congress had not yet been sent. The source also noted that the U.S. President and many of his senior aides were furious over the decision to unveil the agreement.
The White House’s frustration mounted when Thursday’s press briefing was overshadowed by questions regarding this agreement. Responding to a question about why the new condition had been absent from Wednesday’s announcement, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt noted that Trump is the “ultimate decision-maker and dealmaker.”
According to CNN, a Thursday morning post by Trump on Truth Social also shocked the Saudis; the nuclear deal—which had not included a condition for normalization with Israel—had been viewed by them as a major victory.
This agreement would have allowed Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil once certain conditions were met, while simultaneously limiting the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ability to inspect sites suspected of covert activities.
Initial reactions from experts regarding the reported terms of the agreement were largely negative. Nuclear non-proliferation experts expressed concern over the provision regarding enrichment, as well as the failure to commit to the enhanced oversight requirements of the “Additional Protocol.”
In contrast, proponents of the deal focused on its commercial benefits and strategic calculations: the Saudis want a nuclear program on their own terms, and the United States needs to partner with Riyadh to exert influence over Saudi safety and non-proliferation standards—lest China or Russia step in.
According to sources speaking to CNN, media coverage in conservative outlets played a decisive role in Donald Trump’s decision to halt the deal in its current form.
The Wall Street Journal editorial board wrote on Thursday: The roots of this agreement trace back to the Biden administration, which had envisioned nuclear cooperation as a reward for the Saudis joining the Abraham Accords. Riyadh resisted pressure to do so, yet it is now receiving that reward from the Trump administration! One can only hope the Saudis have offered something more in return.
Fox News also expressed skepticism in the same tone at the start of its 7 a.m. newscast. Host Brian Kilmeade described the agreement as “somewhat surprising” and noted that such arrangements had also been considered under the Biden administration.
Kilmeade said: During the Biden years, they would say: ‘We’ll think about it, but first you have to sign the Abraham Accords.’ His tone was one of astonishment; given that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had enjoyed a far better relationship with Trump than with his predecessors.
Kayleigh McEnany—another Fox host who served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first term—also raised the question of why the issue of normalizing relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel had been sidelined.