Trump cuts short Camp David stay amid Middle East tensions

US President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Saturday after abruptly shortening his weekend stay at Camp David, amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Trump had been expected to remain at the presidential retreat in Maryland until Sunday, but the White House did not immediately give a reason for the change in schedule.

Changes to presidential travel plans are not unusual, particularly during weekends and in response to weather conditions. Forecasts for the Camp David area, located in the hills of Maryland, indicated rain and thunderstorms on Sunday.

Trump’s early return came as concerns grew over developments involving Iran-backed Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Saturday that the group had launched a ballistic missile towards Riyadh in the early hours of the day.

The report followed a fire near King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital, although details surrounding the incident were not immediately clear.

The developments prompted the US State Department and several American diplomatic missions in the region to issue security alerts to US citizens.

The State Department warned of the possibility of an unexpected escalation, citing previous Houthi attacks and hostilities involving Saudi Arabia, including attacks affecting civilian airports.

“This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the department said in its warning.

It also advised Americans outside the Middle East to seriously reconsider travel to and through the region as tensions persisted.

The White House had not publicly linked Trump’s change in travel plans to the developments in the Middle East as of Saturday.

AFP