Kamal Ghorui
US Vice President JD Vance on Monday (US local time) pushed back against what he described as attempts to “drive a wedge” between him and President Donald Trump over the war in the Middle East.He emphasised that members of the Trump administration are in “complete harmony” on foreign policy.Vance’s relative silence during the ongoing conflict, along with his earlier remarks opposing military action in the Middle East, had triggered speculation that he and Trump were not on the same page.Also Read | US-Israel War with Iran: Where is JD Vance? The curious case of the ‘missing’ vice president“You’re trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president. What the president has said consistently since 2015 — and I agree with him — is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters at the White House alongside Trump.According to CNN, when pressed on whether he had any reservations about US involvement in the war with Iran, Vance reiterated his support, saying he trusts Trump “to get the job done.”Also Read | Was JD Vance hesitant on Iran strike? Trump reveals VP’s stance“We have a smart president, whereas in the past we’ve had dumb presidents. I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people, and to make sure the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated,” he added, drawing a contrast between the incumbent commander-in-chief and his predecessors.Vance’s earlier stance on US involvement in foreign conflictsHe had previously expressed skepticism about US involvement in foreign conflicts before joining the administration. In a 2023 op-ed, he wrote that Trump’s success was partly due to “avoiding wars.”In 2024, Vance also said that a war with Iran would not serve US interests and would be a “huge distraction of resources.”The Marine Corps veteran had earlier warned about the risk of “escalation” in 2020 following the killing of Iranian commander Qasim Soleimani during Trump’s first term. He had also privately expressed doubts about US strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to private messages that surfaced during last year’s “Signal-gate.”Meanwhile, about 200 American troops have been wounded across seven Gulf countries during the ongoing military campaign against Iran, CNN reported, citing US Central Command spokesperson Timothy Hawkins.Most of the injuries have been minor, with more than 180 service members already returning to duty.So far, 13 US service members have been killed in action, CNN reported.(With ANI inputs)
