US President Donald Trump has called on Saudi Arabia to formally recognise Israel by joining the Abraham Accords, describing the potential move as a landmark step for regional peace and a personal honour.
Speaking at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump appealed directly to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was seated prominently alongside tech magnate Elon Musk. “It’s my fervent hope, wish, and even my dream that Saudi Arabia will soon be joining the Abraham Accords,” he said. “It will be a tremendous tribute to your country and crucial for the future of the Middle East.”
The Abraham Accords, brokered during Trump’s first term in office, normalised relations between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. Saudi Arabia has yet to establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel, although quiet talks on the matter have occurred in recent years.
Trump praised the accords as “an absolute bonanza” for participating countries and criticised the Biden administration for failing to advance the initiative. “The momentum was aimed at peace—aimed very successfully,” he said.
Turning to regional security, he warned Iran of renewed “massive maximum pressure” if it fails to agree to a new nuclear agreement. He vowed to “drive Iranian oil exports to zero” and said, “The time is right now for them to choose — we don’t have a lot of time.”
Although he is not scheduled to visit Israel during this regional tour, Trump’s comments underscore his continued engagement with Middle East diplomacy during his second term in office. Normalisation talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia remain stalled amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
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