US President Donald Trump used a cabinet meeting at Camp David in Maryland to confront the regional crisis and the inconclusive war with Iran, amid escalating clashes and oil prices topping $100 a barrel.
A diplomatic and military threat dilemma
Trump said Iran was negotiating 'at the breaking point' and mentioned the possibility of a deal to open the Strait of Hormuz and reduce nuclear capacity. But pointing to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he added,
'If Iran doesn't give us what we want, the man on my left will finish their job.'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, insisted Washington prefers the diplomatic path and wants to give it a chance.
The escalating cost of war
Since May, violence has intensified; US troops have been killed, Iran attacked commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and the Revolutionary Guards launched a salvo of ballistic missiles at US forces in Jordan. The Pentagon is accused of concealing the deaths of four soldiers and hundreds of injuries in 'Operation Epic Fury' under the label 'Overseas Operations'. Economic effects are also clear: Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel, its highest since May.
Political risks and falling approval
A Quinnipiac poll put Trump's approval rating at a record-low 32 percent. Some in Congress worry about the political fallout ahead of the midterms from a war with no clear end. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had called the meeting 'a fun and different experience.' Camp David has hosted pivotal moments in US history, including the Camp David Accords during the Carter era.
A senior Arab official in the region told NBC News, 'The situation is getting crazier by the day,' highlighting the risk of the war spinning out of control.
