Top foreign policy and national security chiefs of the Donald Trump administration held a top-secret meeting at Camp David, the presidential retreat, on October 2, local time, to discuss responses to the situation in the Middle East, U.S. media outlet Axios reported, citing three anonymous U.S. officials.

According to the report, the meeting presided over by Vice President JD Vance was attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine.

One of the officials explained that at the meeting convened to address Middle East issues, "decisions were made, or at least in-depth discussions took place."

Axios noted that it was highly unusual for the Trump administration to hold a top-secret leadership gathering at Camp David without publicizing the schedule in advance.

The outlet explained that the previous similar gathering was held in June 2025, just days before Israel launched a war against Iran.

At the time, the United States teamed up with Israel to target nuclear facilities across the Iranian mainland, taking issue with its nuclear program in what was called the "12-day war."

This Camp David meeting comes as the war launched by the U.S. against Iran last February has entered a protracted phase lasting over six months.

In particular, with the midterm elections coming up next month, President Trump has repeatedly threatened the possibility of striking Iran after the elections as he faces soaring fuel prices and worsening public sentiment due to the Middle East war.

Last month, Iran proposed a "7-day plan" including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to restore peace talks, but President Trump rejected it. Afterward, a revised proposal was passed back and forth through Qatar's mediation, but negotiations have ultimately fallen back into a deadlock.

Amidst this, President Trump is reviewing the resumption of combat operations against Iran and strongly pressuring Tehran to accept U.S. demands.

Meeting with reporters on October 1, President Trump said, "A decision must be made now," adding, "Either Iran signs an agreement or it ceases to exist."

President Trump recently escalated his threats during his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly, stating that he could wipe Iran out.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which is engaged in an armed conflict with Yemen's Houthi rebels, is asking the United States to join in airstrikes against the Houthis, Axios reported.

The Houthis, who resumed a civil war with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, have recently taken control of areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to the Red Sea.

Officials have said that while President Trump has shown a negative stance toward participating in attacks against the Houthis, he could change his mind and accept Saudi Arabia's request, according to Axios.

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