Trump Skips Son's Wedding as US Prepares Fresh Strikes on Iran (CBS)
Military and intelligence officials cancel Memorial Day weekend plans · No final decision reached as of Friday · Diplomacy still ongoing
The Trump administration was preparing Friday for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, CBS News reported, citing sources with direct knowledge of the planning, even as diplomatic efforts toward a peace deal continued in parallel. No final decision had been reached as of Friday afternoon.
The clearest signal came from Trump himself: the president cancelled his planned Memorial Day weekend at his golf property in New Jersey and returned to the White House, citing unspecified "circumstances pertaining to Government." He also skipped son Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding this weekend.
Signs of imminent action
1. Members of the US military and intelligence community cancelled their Memorial Day weekend plans in anticipation of possible strikes
2. Defense and intelligence officials began updating recall rosters for US installations overseas as troops in the Middle East rotate out, part of an effort to reduce the American military footprint in the region amid concern about possible Iranian retaliation
Trump scrapped his golf weekend and returned to the White House
A White House spokesperson told CBS News that Trump has "made his redlines abundantly clear: Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and they cannot keep their enriched uranium," adding that "the President always maintains all options at all times." Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Wednesday that any further strikes from the US or Israel could widen the conflict "beyond the Middle East," promising what it called crushing blows "in places you cannot even imagine."
Diplomacy still alive - just barely
Despite the military preparations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there had been "slight progress" in negotiations, hinting there "might be some news a little later today." Iranian media made similar comments. Pakistan's army chief visited Tehran the same day as part of ongoing mediation efforts.
On Saturday, Trump told CBS News that negotiators are "getting a lot closer" to a deal, with the latest proposal including a process to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the unfreezing of some Iranian assets. Trump is also scheduled to speak with Gulf leaders in a conference call Saturday afternoon.