Inside Mar‑a‑Lago War Room as Trump Monitored US‑Israeli Strikes on Iran

Published: 3 March 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

President Donald Trump oversaw the launch and early execution of U.S. military operations against Iran — conducted jointly with Israel under what has been called Operation Epic Fury — from a makeshift “war room” at his Mar‑a‑Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The White House released images and details showing Trump and senior national security officials monitoring the strikes from a secure area of the estate, separate from the formal Situation Room at the White House in Washington.

The improvised command centre was set up in a curtained‑off space within Mar‑a‑Lago, where Trump was joined by key advisers, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as the early stages of the conflict unfolded. Photographs released by the administration show the president watching real‑time footage and maps detailing target locations inside Iran while a high‑level team conferred over secure communications.

The independent media and White House sources describe a stark juxtaposition between the high‑stakes military oversight and the broader social activities ongoing at the private club, where a charity gala was also in progress at the time. Behind closed doors and away from the more public spaces of the estate, Trump maintained continuous oversight of the strikes, issuing statements and monitoring developments as the initial waves of U.S. and allied munitions struck Iranian targets.

Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance and other officials remained in Washington, conducting parallel monitoring from the official Situation Room at the White House. Vance was reportedly in direct communication with Trump and the team at Mar‑a‑Lago throughout the operation.

Trump later shared messages on social media and gave interviews from his Florida residence signalling that the campaign could last several weeks, framing the strikes as necessary to degrade Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities and prevent further regional escalation.

Critics of the decision to oversee war operations from a private club raised concerns about the security and appropriateness of conducting military operations from a location that is not traditionally used for national security decision‑making, even if curtained areas are secured for classified communications.

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