The White House reaffirmed that President Donald Trump expects Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords as part of a proposed civil nuclear agreement, highlighting the issue as a key pillar of US Middle East diplomacy and regional stability.
The White House has reaffirmed that President Donald Trump considers the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel a crucial component of any future civil nuclear agreement between Washington and Riyadh. The administration has underscored that Saudi Arabia’s participation in the Abraham Accords remains central to its broader Middle East strategy aimed at strengthening regional stability and expanding diplomatic cooperation.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House ahead of the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday (local time), Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said President Trump had consistently communicated his expectations to Saudi leaders over several years regarding the kingdom’s relationship with Israel.
“The president has been very clear with Saudi Arabia since, not just this term, but going back, his expectations, timelines, and commitments on their normalization of relations with Israel and their entering the Abraham Accords,” Miller said.
His remarks followed questions regarding why the condition linking Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear programme with diplomatic recognition of Israel had been highlighted separately from recent comments made by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright concerning nuclear cooperation.
While Miller did not directly explain the sequencing of the announcements, he stressed that President Trump possesses a unique understanding of Saudi Arabia’s leadership, strategic priorities and long-term geopolitical outlook.
“The president, better than any American alive, understands the psychology of the kingdom, the players in the kingdom, and what that relationship looks like,” Miller stated.
Miller also pointed to Trump’s first presidential term, particularly his landmark 2017 speech in Riyadh, as a turning point in US-Saudi relations. According to him, Trump’s engagement encouraged Saudi Arabia to assume a greater role in promoting regional security and combating violent extremism.
“When you think about where Saudi Arabia is today, going back to the Riyadh speech in 2017 and leaning on them to be a bulwark against violent terrorism in the region, President Trump has helped work with Saudi Arabia to become one of the foremost pillars of stability in the area,” Miller said.
He further argued that Trump fully understands Saudi Arabia’s strategic ambitions and future direction, expressing confidence that the President’s approach would eventually produce a major diplomatic breakthrough.
“So we should just assume and trust that the president knows exactly what to do and how to do it to ultimately achieve what would be a watershed moment in a region that’s been filled with watershed moments,” Miller added.
Beyond Middle East policy, Miller also addressed developments in Latin America during the same media interaction. He criticised the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega following moves that reportedly eliminated competitive elections, arguing that authoritarian governments often use democratic processes to consolidate power before restricting political freedoms.
He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had already outlined the administration’s position and linked Washington’s approach to the broader “Shield of the Americas” strategy, which he described as reflecting a significant geopolitical realignment across the Western Hemisphere.
“The Western Hemisphere is going through a dramatic realignment right now… a dramatic realignment towards America, towards the West, and towards President Trump,” Miller said, adding that several governments in the region now support what he characterised as Trump’s security and prosperity agenda.
On domestic matters, Miller declined to discuss ongoing legislative negotiations concerning the SAVE America Act, referring reporters to the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. However, he reiterated that President Trump remained firmly committed to securing the legislation’s passage.
Regarding the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Miller confirmed he would attend the event and praised law enforcement agencies, particularly the US Secret Service, for ensuring the safety of participants.
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The proposed Saudi civil nuclear agreement has become one of the most closely watched aspects of the Trump administration’s foreign policy agenda. During Trump’s first term, the Abraham Accords facilitated the normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, significantly reshaping diplomatic ties in the Middle East. US officials continue to view Saudi Arabia’s eventual recognition of Israel as the most consequential potential expansion of the accords, with far-reaching implications for regional security, diplomatic cooperation and long-term geopolitical stability.
