A reporter asked JD Vance point-blank if he opposed the Iran strikes, and he dodged the question twice while warning his own team not to talk

Vice President JD Vance avoided direct questions about whether he has a “philosophical difference” with President Trump over the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury. Reporters pressed him to confirm or deny any disagreement after Trump reportedly said Vance was “less enthusiastic” about the conflict starting.

According to Mediaite, reporters caught up with Vance before he boarded Air Force 2 and asked him directly about Trump’s earlier comments, specifically whether Trump’s assessment was true and what Vance thought about how the war was going. Vance deflected the question carefully, hinting at internal discussions without giving any details.

“Well, I think, you know-again, I answered this question earlier. I’m sorry about that, Taylor. You asked this question earlier. When you’re thinking about a major decision like this, the way the President makes these decisions is he talks to a lot of people,” Vance said. He then stressed that his team should not be “running their mouths to the American media,” saying that kind of discretion builds trust within the national security team.

Vance dodged the same question twice in one day, warning that leaking private counsel could break the trust presidents need from their advisors

Earlier that same day, Vance faced the same line of questioning after an economy speech in North Carolina. His answer was just as evasive, saying he would not share what was discussed in classified settings. Many have pointed out that Vance built his career opposing military interventions, which makes his silence on the Iran strikes all the more notable.

“I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not gonna show up here and in front of God and everybody else tell you exactly what I said in that classified room,” Vance told reporters. He gave two reasons for staying quiet. The first was personal: “Partially because I don’t wanna go to prison.” The second was about principle, he argued that presidential advisors need to be able to speak freely without worrying that their opinions will be leaked to the press.

🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 Q: What did you advise the president as he considered his actions in Iran?

Vance: “I hate to disappoint you but I will not tell you what I said in the classified room partially because I don’t want to go to prison”pic.twitter.com/NOQGpjygAF https://t.co/XhAnfcbJGE

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 13, 2026

He repeated his warning from later in the day, saying it is important for the president to be able to talk to his advisors without those advisors “running their mouth to the American media.” Vance has also previously made his position on the conflict’s direction known, with his prediction about avoiding a multi-year Iran war drawing attention from across the political spectrum.

Vance’s repeated refusal to confirm or deny any disagreement with Trump on the Iran strikes shows a clear effort to present a united front. His comments focused on the value of internal trust and the classified nature of national security talks, even as reporters pushed him directly on his reported lack of enthusiasm for the military action.

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