Vance urged Trump to make a deal with Iran before blaming war for election loss
Photo: US Vice President JD Vance (Getty Images)
US Vice President JD Vance had advised President Donald Trump in recent months to reach a deal with Iran. After Republicans' election defeat, he publicly blamed the war for the outcome, according to Axios.
According to sources, Vance led a group within Trump's inner circle that urged the president to reach an agreement with Iran and end the war. Most senior officials around the president shared his views.
The vice president also privately accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "getting everything wrong" about Iran.
Vance warned that the war was deeply unpopular and could cost Republicans victory in the elections.
What Vance said after the election
"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote.
"The president himself said so last night. 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. ... But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there," he added.
Vance also described the US relationship with Israel as a major obstacle for Republicans.
What Trump said in response
On Wednesday, Trump told reporters that Vance's analysis was "largely true." He said the war had driven up gas prices.
"We had no choice. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," the president emphasized. He added that he would do it again if necessary.
Trump was also asked when he planned to end the war.
"Whenever I wanted to. But it's got to be done right, because they can't have a nuclear weapon," he replied.
Earlier, sources said Trump was still leaning toward resuming the war. At one point, he considered launching strikes before the midterm elections, as Netanyahu had urged him to do.
Ultimately, the president decided to wait. However, against the advice of his top advisers, he backed Netanyahu in the Israeli elections last week.
What is known about plans for Iran
The US military is completing preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations in Iran. Additional resources are being deployed to the region, US officials said.
Meanwhile, Qatari mediators are working to secure US and Iranian support for a proposed agreement. According to regional sources, the goal is to prevent a return to hostilities and potentially resume direct negotiations in the coming days.
Even before the elections, mediators asked the White House what Trump would do if Republicans lost. According to a source familiar with the situation, the president's advisers could not confirm any of the possible scenarios.
"We told everybody that we want to see first how the elections turn out for us," a US official said.
Iranian officials celebrated Trump's election defeat and claimed it showed that they were winning the war.
"The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz — and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington. Meanwhile, Americans got stuck with the bill for his war. Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price — from the battlefield to their own doorstep," Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, wrote on X.
Diplomats involved in mediation efforts, Trump advisers, and Middle East experts say Iran's celebration of the Republican defeat could increase the likelihood of the president returning to war.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that Trump administration officials remained divided over what to do about Iran following the election defeat.
According to The Wall Street Journal, some officials are urging new strikes followed by a peace deal, while others want to wind down the operation.
We also reported that Republicans and political consultants had urged Trump to change course following the election defeat.
They called on him to revamp the White House team, strengthen discipline, and abandon policies that contributed to the poor election results.
