Scoop: Trump held lengthy Camp David strategy session with top team on Iran and Gaza
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Trump and Rubio before departing for Camp David. Photo Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty
President Trump and his entire top foreign policy team huddled in Camp David for hours on Sunday to discuss U.S. strategy on the Iran nuclear crisis and the war in Gaza, two U.S. officials and another source with knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: Trump's missions to reach a nuclear deal that averts war with Iran and a hostage and ceasefire deal that could end the war in Gaza have both faced recent setbacks.
- A senior U.S. official told Axios the president sees both crisis as intertwined and part of a broader regional reality he is trying to shape.
Behind the scenes: U.S. officials said the "retreat" in Camp David included several policy sessions.
- The meeting on Iran and Gaza was attended by Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, chief of staff Susie Wiles, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA director John Ratcliffe and other senior officials.
- Trump said Monday that "generals and admirals" also attended the meetings but declined to say what was discussed.
Behind the scenes: "There was nothing that was not discussed," a U.S. official said.
- "Everyone is moving around so fast. The president is out almost every weekend. JD is out all the time. And this was the right time. We will do it more often."
- "The retreat allowed all the senior people in the administration to sit together for a long time and discuss these issues," another U.S. official said.
- The White House didn't respond to a request for a comment.
Split screen: Iranian officials have been finalizing their response to the U.S. nuclear deal proposal, and are expected to deliver a formal rejection in the next 24 hours.
- A senior White House official said the White House has received indications that despite saying "no," Iran will express interest in continuing the negotiations. "We sent the Iranians and very tough proposal, and we expect that they will give a harsh response."
- Trump said Monday that the Iranians were "good negotiators" but "sometimes they can be too tough," adding: "We're trying to make a deal so that there's no destruction and death. ... I hope that's the way it works out, but it might not work out that way. We'll soon find out."
- The White House says Trump's original deadline for a deal expires this Thursday, though both sides want to keep talking for now.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in pursuing a military option — though he's assured Trump he won't make a move while the talks are ongoing, as Axios reported.
- Trump called Netanyahu Monday before leaving Camp David.
- After the call, Trump told reporters Iran's demands were "just not acceptable," particularly on uranium enrichment. "So far, they're not there. I hate to say that, because the alternative is a very, very dire one."
- Iran's Foreign Ministry said a sixth round of talks would take place Sunday in Muscat, Oman. The senior U.S. official said Friday in Oslo was also an option.
State of play: Trump and Netanyahu also discussed the situation in Gaza, a U.S. official said.
- The U.S. official said Trump told Netanyahu he's happy aid is now entering Gaza. But ceasefire talks have been deadlocked for weeks, despite periodic optimism.
- A U.S. official and an Israeli official said efforts to get Hamas to soften its stance on the U.S. proposal for a deal were showing some progress in recent days, thanks in part to increased pressure from the Qatari mediators.
- "We don't expect a breakthrough this week but there has definitely been progress and we are closer to a deal than we thought," the U.S. official said.
Marc Caputo contributed reporting.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, did not attend the meeting.
