Vance accuses media of trying to ‘drive a wedge’ between him and Trump over Iran
This feels like a quiet policy shift.
Vice President JD Vance dressed down the media during an Oval Office event with President Donald Trump on Monday, accusing them of “trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president.”
Trump and Vance portrayed a unified front on the Iran war at the White House on Monday, after a report emerged that the vice president, well known for his noninterventionist views, was “skeptical” about the decision to strike Tehran.
“What the president said consistently, going back to 2015, and I agreed with him, is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said during the Oval Office announcement, which had been designed to tout the formation of a new task force to root out fraud. “We have taken this military action under the president’s leadership. I think all of us, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, should pray for its success and pray for the safety of our troops. That’s the approach that I’ve taken. Make it as successful as possible.”
Seeking to put to bed any notion of disagreement between the pair, Vance said his past criticism of military interventionism, especially in the global war on terrorism, was driven by the leadership in the White House at the time.
“We have a smart president, whereas in the past we’ve had dumb presidents, and I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people and to make sure that the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated, absolutely,” he answered.
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order regarding a task force on fraud in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington, as Vice President JD Vance listens. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
After Vance spoke, Trump chimed in to show his support.
“JD has been great,” the president said. “But here’s the simple thing, I don’t want wars. I want wars less than almost anybody. Peace through strength.”
The Iran war, now more than two weeks old, has faced low polling support among the public and spiked gas prices as Iran has throttled the Strait of Hormuz.
VANCE ASKS NORTH CAROLINA TO PRAY FOR THE TROOPS, BUT DOESN’T DENY CAUTIONING TRUMP AGAINST IRAN WAR
The Trump administration has grown increasingly aggressive in its attacks against the media with both Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly denigrating the press’s negative cover over the past two weeks. The Politico report, published last week, alleged the vice president had argued …
This feels like a quiet policy shift.
Vice President JD Vance dressed down the media during an Oval Office event with President Donald Trump on Monday, accusing them of “trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president.”
Trump and Vance portrayed a unified front on the Iran war at the White House on Monday, after a report emerged that the vice president, well known for his noninterventionist views, was “skeptical” about the decision to strike Tehran.
“What the president said consistently, going back to 2015, and I agreed with him, is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said during the Oval Office announcement, which had been designed to tout the formation of a new task force to root out fraud. “We have taken this military action under the president’s leadership. I think all of us, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, should pray for its success and pray for the safety of our troops. That’s the approach that I’ve taken. Make it as successful as possible.”
Seeking to put to bed any notion of disagreement between the pair, Vance said his past criticism of military interventionism, especially in the global war on terrorism, was driven by the leadership in the White House at the time.
“We have a smart president, whereas in the past we’ve had dumb presidents, and I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people and to make sure that the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated, absolutely,” he answered.
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order regarding a task force on fraud in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington, as Vice President JD Vance listens. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
After Vance spoke, Trump chimed in to show his support.
“JD has been great,” the president said. “But here’s the simple thing, I don’t want wars. I want wars less than almost anybody. Peace through strength.”
The Iran war, now more than two weeks old, has faced low polling support among the public and spiked gas prices as Iran has throttled the Strait of Hormuz.
VANCE ASKS NORTH CAROLINA TO PRAY FOR THE TROOPS, BUT DOESN’T DENY CAUTIONING TRUMP AGAINST IRAN WAR
The Trump administration has grown increasingly aggressive in its attacks against the media with both Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly denigrating the press’s negative cover over the past two weeks. The Politico report, published last week, alleged the vice president had argued …
Vance accuses media of trying to ‘drive a wedge’ between him and Trump over Iran
This feels like a quiet policy shift.
Vice President JD Vance dressed down the media during an Oval Office event with President Donald Trump on Monday, accusing them of “trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president.”
Trump and Vance portrayed a unified front on the Iran war at the White House on Monday, after a report emerged that the vice president, well known for his noninterventionist views, was “skeptical” about the decision to strike Tehran.
“What the president said consistently, going back to 2015, and I agreed with him, is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said during the Oval Office announcement, which had been designed to tout the formation of a new task force to root out fraud. “We have taken this military action under the president’s leadership. I think all of us, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, should pray for its success and pray for the safety of our troops. That’s the approach that I’ve taken. Make it as successful as possible.”
Seeking to put to bed any notion of disagreement between the pair, Vance said his past criticism of military interventionism, especially in the global war on terrorism, was driven by the leadership in the White House at the time.
“We have a smart president, whereas in the past we’ve had dumb presidents, and I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people and to make sure that the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated, absolutely,” he answered.
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order regarding a task force on fraud in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Washington, as Vice President JD Vance listens. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
After Vance spoke, Trump chimed in to show his support.
“JD has been great,” the president said. “But here’s the simple thing, I don’t want wars. I want wars less than almost anybody. Peace through strength.”
The Iran war, now more than two weeks old, has faced low polling support among the public and spiked gas prices as Iran has throttled the Strait of Hormuz.
VANCE ASKS NORTH CAROLINA TO PRAY FOR THE TROOPS, BUT DOESN’T DENY CAUTIONING TRUMP AGAINST IRAN WAR
The Trump administration has grown increasingly aggressive in its attacks against the media with both Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly denigrating the press’s negative cover over the past two weeks. The Politico report, published last week, alleged the vice president had argued …
