Trump did not attend; Axios says the last comparable meeting came in June 2025, days before Israel went to war with Iran.
Vice President JD Vance chaired an unannounced, hours-long meeting on Friday, Oct. 2, at Camp David (the presidential retreat in Maryland), three U.S. officials told Axios. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine attended. Trump was not there. The White House declined to comment.
Iran. Trump is weighing a return to major combat. Asked his next move, he said: "If I told you, you would have a major story."
Yemen. Saudi Arabia wants U.S. airstrikes on the Houthis, the Iran-backed group fighting its way down Yemen's Red Sea coast.
Still open. No decision has been announced. One official said only: "Things were decided or at least deeply discussed."
BackgroundWhat the carrier buildup puts near Iran by November
- The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier group left San Diego on Sunday, Sept. 27, five days before the meeting. It will join two carriers that have been in the Arabian Sea since the war began.
- The Makin Island amphibious group sails with it, carrying about 2,000 Marines.
- The full package is due by November. A U.S. official called it the biggest buildup since 2003.