President's Remarks
In a Friday Oval Office conversation, President Trump backed Vice President JD Vance's earlier statement that the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict is not a war, describing it as "small potatoes" for the U.S. Trump pointed out that American strikes on Iran have become sporadic and minimized the severity of a conflict that has exceeded $37.5 billion in costs and claimed the lives of 18 U.S. troops.[S1]
Trump said he could understand Vance's perspective, adding that he prefers to call it a military conflict because it is not a big thing for the U.S. The president's remarks came a day after Vance, during a White House press briefing, rejected the term 'war' and avoided predicting an end before November's midterm elections.[S1]
Vance's Stance
When asked on Thursday if the fighting might conclude before the November 3 congressional elections, Vice President Vance said he would not label it a war, mentioning that there is currently no active shooting. His remarks came despite Iran launching a missile at U.S. ally Kuwait in response to American strikes earlier in the week.[S1]
Context and Comparisons
Trump compared the U.S. death toll in the Iran conflict to other recent military actions, noting that the operation in Venezuela resulted in no U.S. losses, while the Vietnam War saw tens of thousands of American deaths. He referenced the January operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who faces federal drug trafficking charges in New York.[S1]
The U.S. and Israel have engaged in the Iran conflict solely through air strikes since it began on February 28, with no ground troops deployed. When challenged on calling the conflict "small potatoes" despite 18 fatalities, Trump reiterated that the operations have crippled Iran's nuclear ambitions, asserting that Tehran will not obtain a nuclear weapon.[S1]
