"We lost because of the war." Has a rift begun in the White House administration?
US Vice President J.D. Vance publicly blamed a war with Iran for the Republicans' defeat in the midterm elections. President Trump's son also agreed with every word of Vance's.
"We lost because of the war." Has a split begun in the White House administration?
42-year-old JD Vance is one of the most prominent politicians in the US president's team. Vance, who served in Iraq, supported Trump in 2023, stating that he "does not get involved in foreign wars."
He also served as a US Senator from Ohio from 2023 to 2025. In January 2025, he assumed the office of US Vice President.
On the eve of the US and Israel launching a war against Iran on February 28, 2026, Vance opposed it in private circles. In April, The Atlantic magazine wrote that Vance expressed doubt over whether the Pentagon was providing the president with accurate information about the war.
At that time, Vance also conducted negotiations with the Iranians in Pakistan, but no agreement was reached.
In the public arena, however, Vance has generally supported Trump. On September 3, he even told reporters at the White House, "I wouldn't call this a war."
The Republicans' election defeat, however, drastically changed his tone.
In the election held on November 3, the Democrats gained control over both houses of Congress. Vance's main accusation is singular: the war is to blame for the Republicans' defeat. He repeated this idea several times in a long post published on November 4.
"We lost because of the war. The President himself said so last night," Vance wrote.