Report: Trump, Dermer Hold Secret White House Meeting on Iran Talks, Gaza War
US President Donald Trump met with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in a previously unpublicized meeting at the White House on Thursday to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza and the upcoming fourth round of nuclear talks with Iran, two sources confirmed to Axios.
The meeting—held just days before Trump is set to begin a high-profile Middle East tour—is notable both for its reported timing and its discretion. Neither the US nor Israel publicly acknowledged the meeting, which comes amid strained coordination between the two allies. Also attending the White House meeting were Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, officials said.
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According to sources familiar with the matter, the discussion focused on Israel’s looming deadline for a ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas and the Sunday nuclear negotiations scheduled in Muscat between the US and Iran. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will reportedly lead the Iranian delegation, while Witkoff is expected to represent Washington.
The Dermer meeting follows a major diplomatic rift earlier in the week when Trump surprised Israeli officials by announcing a truce with Yemen’s Houthi group, negotiated through Oman. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, had launched a missile that landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport just days earlier, prompting Israeli airstrikes on key Houthi infrastructure.
