Trump's nuclear deal with Saudis jettisons longstanding US demands
The Trump administration has signed a nuclear energy agreement with Saudi Arabia, bypassing traditional U.S. requirements for the kingdom to normalize relations with Israel. Critics warn the deal could trigger a regional nuclear arms race, while the administration frames it as a strategic move to counter Chinese influence.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in U.S. Middle East policy, prioritizing transactional economic and geopolitical interests over long-standing diplomatic conditions.
Image source, EPA By Daniel Bush Washington Published 43 minutes ago The Trump administration's nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia reversed a years-long stance toward a key Middle East ally.
Past US presidents insisted that Saudi Arabia normalise relations with Israel in exchange for receiving American nuclear technology for civilian energy programmes.
President Donald Trump gave Saudi Arabia what it wanted without extracting concessions for Israel in return - and over objections from critics who argued that it could spark a nuclear arms race in the region.
The deal was the latest example of Trump jettisoning the traditional American approach to the Middle East, which centred on Israel and finding a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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