Trump says 'nobody got out ahead' on Saudi nuclear deal despite Abraham Accords twist
✓President Trump said Friday that “nobody got out ahead” of him in the announcement of a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, despite the president changing the terms of the agreement the next day.
Trump’s remarks served to push back against a CNN report that he was caught off guard by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announcing the agreement. The deal also left out a key condition for Trump that Saudi Arabia establish ties with Israel, long an important pillar that has helped bring skeptical lawmakers on board.
“No, nobody got out ahead. I mean, I just say that in order to do it, they have to be a member of the Abraham Accords, which have been very successful,” Trump said from the Oval Office at an event on nuclear power, with Wright standing behind him.
Trump has held up the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established ties among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as one of the greatest foreign policy achievements of his first term and one that should have delivered him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“It’s time now that they do it,” he said of Saudi Arabia joining the agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom cannot establish ties with Israel until the nation takes meaningful steps to allow the creation of a Palestinian state. That is a remote possibility for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a tough reelection challenge in October and public attitudes largely against reconciliation with the Palestinians.
But the president suggested Friday that Saudi Arabia didn’t sign onto the accords because of fear of attacks by Iran and said that threat was now eliminated. Saudi Arabia has come under attack from Iran throughout the nearly five-month war launched by the U.S. and Israel.
“It’s a two-way street, and we think it’s very important for the future of the Middle East,” he said.
“The Abraham Accords have been incredibly successful for the countries, as you know, for the countries in them, and I think it’s very important. So, you know, at some point they’ll join. They’ll join and they’ll do their civil, to echo it, civil nuclear, but that’s what it is. No enrichment. It’s civil nuclear,” Trump added, pushing back on criticisms the reported terms of the deal allow Saudi Arabia access to technology and know-how to enrich uranium, the fuel needed for a nuclear weapon.
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Read the full story at Axios ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗ · The Hill ↗
President Trump said Friday that "nobody got out ahead" of him in the announcement of a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, despite the president changing the terms of…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
President Trump said Friday that “nobody got out ahead” of him in the announcement of a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, despite the president changing the terms of the agreement the next day.
Trump’s remarks served to push back against a CNN report that he was caught off guard by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announcing the agreement. The deal also left out a key condition for Trump that Saudi Arabia establish ties with Israel, long an important pillar that has helped bring skeptical lawmakers on board.
“No, nobody got out ahead. I mean, I just say that in order to do it, they have to be a member of the Abraham Accords, which have been very successful,” Trump said from the Oval Office at an event on nuclear power, with Wright standing behind him.
Trump has held up the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established ties among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as one of the greatest foreign policy achievements of his first term and one that should have delivered him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“It’s time now that they do it,” he said of Saudi Arabia joining the agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom cannot establish ties with Israel until the nation takes meaningful steps to allow the creation of a Palestinian state. That is a remote possibility for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a tough reelection challenge in October and public attitudes largely against reconciliation with the Palestinians.
But the president suggested Friday that Saudi Arabia didn’t sign onto the accords because of fear of attacks by Iran and said that threat was now eliminated. Saudi Arabia has come under attack from Iran throughout the nearly five-month war launched by the U.S. and Israel.
“It’s a two-way street, and we think it’s very important for the future of the Middle East,” he said.
“The Abraham Accords have been incredibly successful for the countries, as you know, for the countries in them, and I think it’s very important. So, you know, at some point they’ll join. They’ll join and they’ll do their civil, to echo it, civil nuclear, but that’s what it is. No enrichment. It’s civil nuclear,” Trump added, pushing back on criticisms the reported terms of the deal allow Saudi Arabia access to technology and know-how to enrich uranium, the fuel needed for a nuclear weapon.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at Axios ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗ · The Hill ↗
President Trump said Friday that “nobody got out ahead” of him in the announcement of a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, despite the president changing the terms of the agreement the next day.
Trump’s remarks served to push back against a CNN report that he was caught off guard by Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announcing the agreement. The deal also left out a key condition for Trump that Saudi Arabia establish ties with Israel, long an important pillar that has helped bring skeptical lawmakers on board.
“No, nobody got out ahead. I mean, I just say that in order to do it, they have to be a member of the Abraham Accords, which have been very successful,” Trump said from the Oval Office at an event on nuclear power, with Wright standing behind him.
Trump has held up the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established ties among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as one of the greatest foreign policy achievements of his first term and one that should have delivered him the Nobel Peace Prize.
“It’s time now that they do it,” he said of Saudi Arabia joining the agreement.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom cannot establish ties with Israel until the nation takes meaningful steps to allow the creation of a Palestinian state. That is a remote possibility for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces a tough reelection challenge in October and public attitudes largely against reconciliation with the Palestinians.
But the president suggested Friday that Saudi Arabia didn’t sign onto the accords because of fear of attacks by Iran and said that threat was now eliminated. Saudi Arabia has come under attack from Iran throughout the nearly five-month war launched by the U.S. and Israel.
“It’s a two-way street, and we think it’s very important for the future of the Middle East,” he said.
“The Abraham Accords have been incredibly successful for the countries, as you know, for the countries in them, and I think it’s very important. So, you know, at some point they’ll join. They’ll join and they’ll do their civil, to echo it, civil nuclear, but that’s what it is. No enrichment. It’s civil nuclear,” Trump added, pushing back on criticisms the reported terms of the deal allow Saudi Arabia access to technology and know-how to enrich uranium, the fuel needed for a nuclear weapon.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at Axios ↗ · BBC ↗ · Al Jazeera ↗ · The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- President Trump said Friday that "nobody got out ahead" of him in the announcement of a nuclear deal between the U.S.
- and Saudi Arabia, despite the president changing the terms of…