JD Vance acknowledged reports suggesting he privately opposed U.S. military strikes against Iran, saying that he wouldn’t discuss classified deliberations but emphasized that decisions were made with the goal of protecting Americans.
Reports cited by Politico claimed the vice president had expressed skepticism about Donald Trump’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury in late February. According to unnamed officials, Vance was concerned about the potential success of the operation and had reservations about American intervention.
Speaking publicly about the matter, Vance declined to detail what he said during internal White House discussions but described the highly classified setting where the decision was debated.
“But imagine the situation, we’re in the Situation Room, where you can’t even take your iPod in there, or your AirPods, I guess what they’re called, you can’t take your iPhone in there, you can’t take anything in there, because it is the most classified space anywhere in the world,” Vance said. “And I sit there with Pete Hegseth and General Kane and Marco Rubio and the entire White House team, and the President and I and the entire senior team are talking about the options and about what we need to do and about how we must best protect the American people.”
Vance said he would not reveal details from the meeting.
“I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not going to show up here in front of God and everybody else and tell you exactly what I said in that classified room, partially because I don’t want to go to prison, and partially because I think it’s important for the president of the United States to be able to talk to his advisers without those advisers running their mouth to the American media,” he added.
According to Politico, one anonymous source claimed Vance “just opposes” the war and was worried about whether the mission would succeed. Another official told the outlet that the vice president ultimately supports the president’s decisions once they are made.
During a March 2 interview with Fox News, he said the military action was intended to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump acknowledged earlier this week that Vance had not been fully aligned with him on Iran but said the vice president remained supportive of the final decision. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly also defended Vance, describing him as a “tremendous asset” in the administration’s national security decision-making process.
Vance has long described himself as skeptical of foreign military intervention. In comments to The Washington Post shortly before the strikes, he said he generally prefers diplomatic solutions and is cautious about deploying American military power overseas.
That position has been consistent with his past statements. Vance previously argued in 2023 that he supported Trump partly because the president was less likely to involve the United States in prolonged overseas conflicts. He has also opposed continued U.S. military aid to Ukraine and has advocated for a negotiated settlement to end the war there.
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