Trump Says Vance's Iran War Remarks Drew Dislike but No Rift

President Donald Trump said many people disapproved of Vice President JD Vance's explanation that the Iran conflict cost Republicans midterm seats, but he denied that the episode created tension between them. When reporters asked whether Vance's postelection analysis had damaged their relationship, Trump answered 'not at all' and said he personally was not among those who objected, while acknowledging that others disliked the remarks. After last week's legislative losses, Vance issued a lengthy social media post that placed the GOP defeats squarely on the war, contending that voters had punished the party at the ballot box. He wrote that the conflict was the cause and said Trump had made the same point the previous evening. Vance also pressed critics to acknowledge the electoral price, asking them to argue that losing the Senate for the next six years was a worthwhile cost and calling such a stance honest whether people agreed or not. The vice president's comments prompted criticism from both parties. Trump had earlier told The Wall Street Journal that the eight-month military campaign was a 'piece of it' on election night, while defending the operation in a separate CBS 60 Minutes appearance. He said that if he could do it again, history would regard the action as among the best things ever done, and he argued that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon mattered more than short-term political consequences. Trump added that if Iran had acquired such a weapon during his term, he would have faced far harsher criticism, and he described stopping that outcome as 'a big thing.' Trump also said Vance had checked with him before publishing the widely shared post. According to Trump, Vance asked what he thought, and Trump advised him: 'Write what you feel.' The president left open the chance of future military action if diplomacy fails, but suggested renewed fighting is unlikely if current peace talks move forward.