Trump Security Team Holds Secret Camp David Talks on Iran War, Yemen
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: Senior members of US President Donald Trump’s national security team held an unannounced, hours-long meeting at Camp David on Friday to discuss the war with Iran and the escalating Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen.
Vice President JD Vance chaired the closed-door session at the presidential retreat, bringing together some of the administration’s most senior foreign policy, intelligence and military officials.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine participated in the discussions.
President Trump also briefly joined the meeting.
The talks focused on Washington’s next steps in the conflict with Iran as diplomatic efforts remain stalled and the United States weighs whether to resume large-scale military operations.
Trump has publicly indicated that US strikes against Iran could resume if negotiations fail to produce an agreement.
The meeting came as the Pentagon prepares to strengthen the US military presence in the Middle East. Plans under consideration include sending a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine vessels to the region, potentially adding thousands of US personnel.
The additional forces are expected to arrive later in the year if the deployment proceeds as planned.
Yemen was another major focus of the Camp David discussions.
Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major operation involving Yemeni government-aligned forces against the Houthis, with control of territory near the Red Sea and the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait among the key security concerns.
Riyadh has sought greater US involvement against the Houthis, including support for air operations.
Washington has so far stopped short of committing to direct participation in the planned offensive, although US intelligence and other non-combat assistance has been provided.
The discussions took place as Houthi attacks continue to fuel security concerns in Saudi Arabia and around key Red Sea shipping routes.
A Houthi projectile struck a school in the southern Saudi city of Najran on Friday, causing material damage, while Saudi-led forces reported intercepting three ballistic missiles directed towards Khamis Mushait.
No final policy decision following the Camp David meeting has been publicly announced.
The high-level talks nevertheless underscore the range of military and diplomatic options being considered by Washington as the Trump administration confronts simultaneous security challenges involving Iran, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
