Trump's national security team holds secret Camp David meeting on Iran and Yemen

Donald Trump’s senior national security officials held an unannounced meeting at Camp David on Friday to discuss the stalled conflict with Iran and a potential offensive against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The highly sensitive gathering, first reported by the news website Axios, lasted several hours and comes at a critical moment. The Trump administration is currently deciding whether to order the US military to resume major combat operations against Tehran as diplomatic negotiations remain deadlocked. In recent weeks, the US has steadily expanded its military presence in the Middle East, ramping up the pressure on Iran as the diplomatic track stalls.

Vice-President JD Vance chaired the session, according to US officials. He was joined by a tight circle of the administration's most influential foreign policy and military figures, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.

Such high-level huddles at the presidential retreat are exceptionally rare. The last time Trump’s security cabinet gathered there under similar circumstances was in June 2025, just days before Israel went to war with Iran. One US official familiar with Friday's talks said that "things were decided or at least deeply discussed" during the session.

The primary focus was Iran. Trump has grown increasingly impatient with the lack of progress in talks, issuing a stark ultimatum on Thursday. "Now I have to make a decision: either Iran signs the deal, or it won’t exist any longer," he said.

On Friday afternoon, while his advisers were still meeting at Camp David, Trump was asked by reporters about his next move. "If I told you, you would have a major story," he said. "But you will see. It is working out very well. Iran is not doing well."

The security team also dedicated significant time to the conflict in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is preparing a major offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Saudi government has been heavily lobbying the White House to support its campaign with US airstrikes.

While Trump has reportedly been leaning against committing American airpower to the Saudi-led offensive, officials noted that his position is not set in stone and could change depending on how the broader regional situation develops.

The White House has so far declined to comment on the secret meeting or the specific military options that were put on the table.