Vice President JD Vance pushed back against a reporter’s question about his stance on President Trump‘s military actions, directly accusing the journalist of trying to “drive a wedge” between him and the president over the situation with Iran. The exchange happened during an Oval Office event where Vance was being put in charge of a new fraud task force.
“You’re trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president,” Vance told RealClearPolitics reporter Philip Wegmann. When Wegmann pressed Vance about his previous positions, given reports that Vance had voiced skepticism before the Iran conflict escalated, the Vice President said his current support for the war comes down to his trust in President Trump.
According to the New York Post, Vance stated, “Well, I think one big difference, Phil, is that we have a smart president, whereas in the past, we’ve had dumb presidents.” He added, “I trust President Trump can 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.”
Vance and Trump are presenting a united front on Iran’s nuclear threat
President Trump, who also ran for office criticizing past Middle East interventions, weighed in as well. “I don’t want wars. I want wars less than almost anybody, peace through strength,” Trump said. However, he pointed to Iran’s nuclear program as the reason for the airstrikes that began on February 28. Vance has been a frequent subject of media attention lately, including a recent incident where a suspect broke into Vance’s home and destroyed a Secret Service vehicle.
Trump questioned the idea of Iran having nuclear weapons. “Do you think they should have a nuclear weapon, which is massive power? I don’t even want to discuss how powerful, because it’s depressing,” he stated. He insisted that “naive people” were not concerned about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Vice President JD Vance is asked why he supports the Iran War after previously criticizing the ‘global war on terror':
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) March 16, 2026
“One big difference is we have a smart president and in the past we had dumb presidents." pic.twitter.com/NTy7MRoByl
JD Vance used to oppose foreign wars, but now says it’s fine because Donald Trump is a “smart president” unlike the “dumb” ones before him
“If you believe that Iran should have a nuclear weapon, there’s something wrong with you, because they would use it,” Trump added. He also said about Iran’s leadership, “They’re violent, vicious people.”
Trump also had strong words for anyone critical of his actions, saying, “They’re either evil or they’re stupid. So if you believe that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, they should not have it, then you have to absolutely love what I’ve done.”
Vance himself has faced scrutiny over some of his more unusual public statements, such as when he made controversial claims about ancient brothels and dead children. The Veep echoed this, referencing Trump’s consistent stance since 2015 that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, a position Vance says he has always agreed with.
