President Donald Trump is once again causing chaos, critics say, with whipsawing policy decisions, revisions, and backtracking, this time over a landmark international nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia … or maybe not.
The Trump administration announced a new nuclear agreement with the Saudis Wednesday, agreeing to cooperate on non-military uses, similar to deals other Middle Eastern countries such as Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and others already have.
But a day later, Trump walked it back in a social media post, saying the agreement will only move forward if Saudi Arabia signs onto the Abraham Accords, something Trump helped broker in his first term.
The Accords have led to establishing normal relations between Israel and a handful of other Middle East countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
“The Civil Nuclear Deal (There will be no enrichment of material!) being made between the United States Department of Energy and Saudi Arabia, which pertains only to non-military use such as the ones that Iran and UAE (and others) already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining the very respected and successful Abraham Accords,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform early Thursday, July 23, casting doubt on what was supposedly already a signed agreement.
Karoline Leavitt Placed in Hot Seat
Later that day, reporters pressed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the deal and Trump’s new demands from the Saudis.
“Do the Saudis agree with this interpretation since it wasn’t part of the initial agreement? And has the president talked to MbS since this new condition?” a reporter asked, referring to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto leader of the country.
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“Yes, this deal with Saudi Arabia, this energy deal, is contingent on this condition as far as the president is concerned,” Leavitt said, seeming to confirm that the agreement with the Saudis wasn’t actually a done deal after all.
“We will continue to talk with our Saudi counterparts to get the deal finalized and hopefully see them joining the Abraham Accords very soon,” she added.
“As you know, the president just put out this statement a few hours ago,” she continued.
“I don’t believe he’s had a call with MBS in the hours since. However, this is something that he has raised in previous conversations and has also said many times in the past,” she added.
Social Media Erupts
Social media erupted in criticism of Trump over his mercurial statements and ever-changing stances on foreign policy.
“Do they have Truth Social in Saudi Arabia? Is he just shouting at a wall again?” a Threads user wondered.
Others agreed, “Demented man doing demented things. Just another day in this great nation.”
This Threads user observed, “What could possibly go wrong?”
Another spelled out what an international agreement usually means.
“Major international agreements, especially those involving nuclear technology, require careful diplomacy, expert review, and clear communication between all parties involved,” poster McCarthy Carter explained.
“Any changes to such agreements should be handled through established channels with transparency and accountability. The public deserves to understand the details, safeguards, and long-term implications of decisions that affect national and global security,” he added.
On Wednesday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman inked a non-military nuclear deal of cooperation and an agreement on nuclear safeguards, according to CNBC.
Wright said the multi-billion-dollar agreement lays out the framework for a long-term, multi-billion-dollar collaboration between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Wright said even though it’s a civilian nuclear program, the Atomic Energy Act requires Congressional review of the agreement.
The International Atomic Energy Agency monitors peaceful, or civilian, nuclear programs, which use the technology to generate power, support industrial applications, provide medical treatments, and improve agriculture.
