Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting at Camp David Amid Iran War

President Donald Trump convened his Cabinet at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland on Friday, July 31, as his administration grapples with a widening and protracted war against Iran and its domestic economic fallout. The meeting, the 13th of Trump's second term, marked a rare visit to the mountaintop facility for a president who has historically preferred his own properties.

The agenda was expected to focus heavily on foreign policy, particularly the ongoing conflict with Iran, which began on February 28 and has now lasted five months. The president had initially predicted the war would conclude within weeks, but it has instead expanded. This week saw a resumption of hostilities after a brief pause, with U.S. forces intercepting Iranian ballistic missile attacks in Jordan on Tuesday. In a significant regional escalation, Saudi Arabia entered the conflict on Wednesday with airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq and subsequently announced it would lead a new multinational coalition to protect shipping routes in the Red Sea.

The war's economic consequences are mounting. Gasoline prices have risen significantly, and global oil markets remain volatile due to...