President Donald Trump defended a civil nuclear arrangement with Saudi Arabia on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after “Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade openly criticized the deal during a morning broadcast, raising doubts about uranium enrichment and future Saudi leadership.
Kilmeade’s skepticism, delivered on a network that typically backs the administration, focused on who might eventually replace Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and what risks that uncertainty posed to American interests.
President Links Deal to Abraham Accords
Within minutes of the segment ending, Trump posted a message on Truth Social clarifying that the planned civil nuclear partnership between Washington’s Department of Energy and the Saudi government would exclude any enrichment capability and limit itself strictly to civilian purposes, similar to existing arrangements with Iran and the UAE.
The president stated approval of the partnership hinged entirely on Riyadh’s participation in the Abraham Accords, a framework he praised as well-regarded and effective. Trump added that the administration supports peaceful civilian atomic energy initiatives provided they exclude uranium enrichment, before signing off with his customary expression of appreciation.
The rapid response underscored Trump’s well-known habit of monitoring the morning show and reacting swiftly to coverage he finds incomplete or misleading.
Concerns Over Leadership Succession
During the live broadcast, Kilmeade acknowledged that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had become someone Washington could engage, describing his ascent as improbable and his reforms as genuine. “MBS seems to have emerged as somebody we can trust,” Kilmeade said, adding that the crown prince’s ascent to power seemed improbable to most analysts and surprised seasoned diplomatic watchers.
Yet Kilmeade warned that succession planning in Riyadh remained opaque and that no assurance existed about the orientation of whoever might lead the kingdom next. That concern took on added weight given American intelligence agencies determined bin Salman directed the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an event that severely damaged diplomatic ties between the two capitals.
On the substance of what Washington might permit under the arrangement, Kilmeade expressed reservations about allowing any form of enrichment capability. “I don’t see our benefit to letting them enrich,” he remarked regarding uranium, characterizing it as an undesirable development while acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s real achievements.
The proposed deal would grant Saudi Arabia access to civilian nuclear technology, a concession Kilmeade questioned in terms of American strategic gain. His doubts were notable coming from a typically administration-friendly outlet, and his concerns focused not on bin Salman himself but on future leadership transitions.
A Diplomatic Impasse
“Fox and Friends” co-host Kayleigh McEnany, previously Trump’s White House press secretary, advanced the conversation by questioning whether Riyadh might normalize relations with Israel and join the Abraham Accords as part of the nuclear deal.
Trump’s requirement, though, encounters a well-established diplomatic roadblock. Saudi officials have consistently maintained they will not establish formal relations with Israel without first securing the establishment of a Palestinian state. This position has remained a core element of Riyadh’s foreign policy for years.
In sharp contrast, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government has repeatedly declared that it will not permit the establishment of a Palestinian state. This fundamental disagreement between the two positions means the nuclear enrichment issue is embedded within a far broader and enduring Middle East conflict that cannot be resolved through a single bilateral agreement.
By tying nuclear cooperation to Saudi entry into the Abraham Accords, the president has effectively made progress contingent on overcoming incompatible demands from Riyadh and Jerusalem.
As of Thursday’s developments, Saudi Arabia had not responded to Trump’s post. The lack of official reaction raises uncertainty about whether Riyadh regards the president’s publicly announced terms as acceptable for further negotiation or as a barrier conflicting with its own long-standing requirements.
The episode captures a rare moment of friction between the president and a host on a network he closely follows. Kilmeade did not dispute the broader trajectory of Saudi reform, and he was careful to note the progress the country has made. But his hesitation over enrichment and his pointed uncertainty about the kingdom’s future leadership signaled that even sympathetic voices see real questions in an agreement still very much in flux.