President Donald Trump held a high-stakes meeting on Shabbos with senior national security officials to discuss the next stage of the standoff with Iran, according to a CNN report published Sunday.
The meeting, which took place at Trump’s golf club in Virginia, reportedly came just before the President issued his public warning to Tehran on Sunday, declaring that the “Clock is Ticking.”
CNN reported that the closed-door strategy session included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, along with other senior administration officials. The gathering was held shortly after Trump returned from his trip to China, where tensions involving Iran and Beijing’s relationship with the regime were reportedly central topics of discussion.
According to sources familiar with the deliberations, the administration intentionally held off on making major decisions during the China visit in order to assess whether Chinese President Xi Jinping would play a role in helping resolve the crisis. However, after Trump’s return to the United States, officials reportedly began shifting their focus toward tougher options.
The report said Trump has grown increasingly aggravated over Iran’s continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, whose blockade has rattled global energy markets. Although the President has repeatedly expressed interest in reaching a diplomatic solution, sources indicated he is now giving more serious consideration to restarting large-scale military operations in an effort to break the deadlock.
CNN also reported that the Pentagon has revised its military contingency plans to include possible precision strikes targeting Iran’s energy sector and key internal infrastructure if Trump chooses to expand military action beyond the existing ceasefire framework.
Following the discussions, Trump spoke Sunday with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as the two leaders coordinated regional strategy.
According to CNN, the President is expected to meet again with his national security team later this week to determine whether to proceed with the prepared military option or continue allowing time for talks reportedly being mediated by Pakistan.
Yesterday, Trump also posted a mysterious message on Truth Social regarding Iran.
The post included an AI-generated image showing Trump alongside a U.S. Navy admiral against the backdrop of stormy seas and several ships, including one carrying the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as speculation grows that the war could soon resume.
The caption above the image stated, “It was calm before the storm.”
Separately, Fox News reported that intelligence officials believe Iran is preparing for the possibility that Trump could restart military operations against the regime as tensions continue rising over Tehran’s conduct and refusal to halt its nuclear ambitions.
According to that report, Iranian officials increasingly believe Trump may ultimately authorize renewed strikes, prompting Tehran to adopt what sources described as a strategy of “deception and delay” designed to buy time and complicate any future American military campaign.