Trump Administration Officials Meet Secretly on Iran and Yemen Conflicts

Senior National Security Council members from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump convened secretly for hours at Camp David to discuss future steps in the confrontation with Iran and the escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. The meetings, which are not publicly announced, are considered significant, especially since the last similar gathering occurred in June 2025, shortly before the outbreak of the Israeli-Iranian war at that time. The meeting was chaired by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Treasury Scott P. Bissant, U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan K. One U.S. official stated that the meeting involved "making decisions, or at least conducting very in-depth discussions to present recommendations to the President" regarding the Middle East crisis. The White House declined to comment on the meeting.

The meeting takes place amid a stalemate in negotiations with Iran, with Trump reportedly considering a resumption of large-scale military operations against Tehran. Trump had previously stated that Iran had a clear choice: "Either Iran signs the agreement, or it will no longer exist." When asked about his next move toward Iran, he cryptically replied, "If I told you, you'd have big news. But you will see. Things are progressing very well. Iran's situation is not good."

In parallel with the Iranian issue, U.S. officials discussed the possibility of the United States joining a potential Saudi offensive against the Houthis in Yemen. According to U.S. officials, Saudi Arabia is pressuring Trump to carry out airstrikes against the Houthis, while the U.S. President currently leans against military intervention, although officials noted he might change his stance. The secret meeting at Camp David, involving top officials responsible for foreign policy, defense, intelligence, and economics, indicates that the Trump administration is considering a range of options concerning the simultaneous developments in Iran and Yemen, amid increasing pressure to make decisions about the next phase of confrontation in the Middle East.