US Congress receives classified Saudi nuclear deal tied to Israel recognition

The Trump administration has formally submitted a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia to Congress for a mandatory review period. The classified pact, delivered on Monday, is designed to support Riyadh's atomic energy program but hinges on Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords. Lawmakers have 90 days in session to reject the deal, though previous similar agreements have typically been made public rather than fully classified.

The agreement was signed last month in Washington by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, though Trump announced the following day that Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords would be a condition. This linkage reportedly surprised Riyadh, which has insisted that Palestinian statehood must be addressed first, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects that premise.

Under the Atomic Energy Act, Congress has 90 days in session to reject the pact via joint resolution; otherwise it takes effect automatically. The full classification is unusual—prior 123 agreements were public, sometimes with classified annexes. If approved, the 30-year deal would involve US firms in developing Saudi Arabia's nuclear program following a joint study.