Vice President JD Vance obliterated a reporter’s question concerning his views on President Donald Trump’s military operations in Iran, calling him out for trying to “drive a wedge” between himself and Trump concerning the war. And the president couldn’t have been more pleased with Vance’s answer, as a viral clip of the incident shows him winking with a sly grin at the reporter.
“You’re trying to drive a wedge between members of the administration, between me and the president,” Vance said in the video, replying to a question from RealClearPolitics reporter Philip Wegmann during an event held in the Oval Office. The event was held to announce that Vance would now be in charge of a new fraud task force.
“What the president said consistently, going back to 2015 — and I agreed with him — is that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon,” the vice president continued. But Wegmann decided to press Vance on prior positions he held opposing previous long military engagements in the Middle East. Vance said that the difference this time around is that he trusts President Trump.
“Well, I think one big difference, Phil, is that we have a smart president, whereas in the past, we’ve had dumb presidents,” Vance said, according to the New York Post. “And I trust President Trump can get the job done, to do a good job for the American people, and to make sure that the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated, absolutely.”
The president, who condemned past presidents for intervening in the Middle East long-term, said, “I don’t want wars. I want wars less than almost anybody — peace through strength.” He then added, “But you know what? I’ve watched Iran for a long time…. They’re violent, vicious people, the leadership.” He then challenged the reporter by asking him if he thought Iran should have a nuclear weapon.
“Do you think they should have a nuclear weapon, which is massive power? I don’t even want to discuss how powerful, because it’s depressing,” Trump stated. The president went on to say that “naive people” showed little concern for Iran’s nuclear program, which is the top reason that’s been cited for the devastating airstrikes that started on February 28, 2026.
“If you believe that Iran should have a nuclear weapon, there’s something wrong with you, because they would use it,” he explained. Trump then stated that it was only a matter of time before Iran successfully created a nuclear weapon. Conservatives have pointed out that should the Islamic regime get its hands on such a weapon, it would spell disaster for Israel, other nations in the region, not to mention the U.S. and people in Europe as well.
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“The only question is, within one hour, if they get it, or one day?” Trump then delivered some strong words for those who have criticized his actions. “They’re either evil or they’re stupid. So if you believe that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon — they should not have it — then you have to absolutely love what I’ve done.” Trump previously stated that if a country routinely shouts “Death to America,” we need to take them at their word.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video