President Donald Trump said Vice President J.D. Vance had made a critical omission from his long social media post that pinned Republican losses in the midterm elections on the Iran war.
While the president agreed with much of his second-in-command’s assessment, he noted that Vance did not address whether he would make the same decision again.
Vice President JD Vance gives remarks at a Sports Council announcement, Thursday, July 31, 2025, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. (White House Intern Photo by Julian Casciano)
Trump has long justified the decision to go to war to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Vance Blames Iran War for Voter Frustration
In a social media post published on Wednesday, November 4, Vance said the conflict with Iran had cost his party control of Congress’ two chambers.
“The reason we lost is the war,” he wrote on social media. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.”
He continued: “But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”
Vance reportedly drafted the post himself and notified the White House before it was released. Donald Trump Jr., who also shared and endorsed it, simply wrote: “Every word of this is…” followed by three “100” emojis.
Early Agreement
Trump, who previously acknowledged that the conflict with Iran had played a role in the election results, said Vance’s assessment was “largely true” when pressed by reporters during a tour of the White House ballroom construction. “If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again because long term, it’s the only answer,” he said. “You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
He added that he knew of Vance’s position on the war, telling reporters: “I know how he feels about it. I think it was — I think it was fine. Yeah, I thought it was good.”
The Norwegian Army fires a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) from the Andøya Space Range in Andøya, Norway against a simulated threat in support of exercise Formidable Shield 2023, May 10, 2023. Formidable Shield is a biennial integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) exercise involving a series of live-fire events against subsonic, supersonic, and ballistic targets, incorporating multiple Allied ships, aircraft, and ground forces working across battlespaces to deliver effects. (Courtesy photo by Royal Norwegian Navy)
Pre-election polling backed Vance’s position, revealing widespread opposition to the war.
A September AP-NORC survey found that 71% of adults disapproved of Trump’s handling of Iran, while 69% believed the conflict had not been worth fighting.
A Shift in Tune
However, as Trump returned to the White House on Sunday evening, the president pointed to a notable omission from Vance’s post.
“He was right, other than one thing,” Trump told reporters. “He should have made one other statement.”
Posing the question to himself, Trump asked: “If you had to do it again, would you do it again? The answer is yes.”
Trump had made a similar point in an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” recorded Friday and broadcast Sunday, saying that while he didn’t know whether Vance would make the same decision again, his answer was “an emphatic yes, because you can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
Despite the public disagreement, Trump said in Washington that their working relationship had not been affected. “A lot of people didn’t like his comments,” Trump added. “But not me.”
A Wide-Ranging Interview
Trump and interviewer Ross Douthat addressed a variety of topics during the interview released Sunday.
The president conceded that his administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration was “too tough,” but whether any changes would be taking place in the final two years of his presidency remains unclear.
The architect of his immigration policies, Stephen Miller, was named White House Chief of Staff last week.
Trump also refused to be drawn on his successor when he leaves the White House in January 2029.
The president is constitutionally term-limited and therefore cannot run as the GOP’s presidential candidate in 2028.
He declined to say whether Vance would receive an automatic endorsement. “Probably. Not necessarily,” he said of any presidential endorsement. “Maybe I’m better off not getting involved.”
He praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling him “great.”
“He’s doing a fantastic job,” Trump continued. “The ones they think about, but there are many others, and I’d rather not mention their names. Some senators are excellent. I know them all. I like them a lot.”
He added that any endorsement would “play a big role” in the next presidential election, claiming his “endorsement capacity has been very strong.”
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
