Trump and Vance Downplay Iran Conflict
President Donald Trump on Friday described the ongoing conflict with Iran as "small potatoes," defending Vice President JD Vance's assertion that the months of on-and-off attacks in the Middle East do not constitute a "war."
Asked during an Oval Office exchange about Vance's comments made a day earlier, Trump noted that U.S. strikes on Iran are now "intermittent" and appeared to minimize the intensity of a conflict that has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $37.5 billion and left 18 U.S. service members dead, as reported by the Reading Eagle.
"I can understand what he's saying," Trump said, adding, "I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing."
Vance, during a White House press briefing on Thursday, rejected the use of the word "war" to describe the U.S. fighting with Iran and avoided predicting that the six-month-old conflict would end by November's midterm elections, in which Republicans are trying to hold their narrow majorities in Congress.
"I wouldn't call it a war," Vance said after being asked whether the fighting could end before voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 congressional elections. "Right now, there is no active shooting."
Vance's comments came even as Iran fired at U.S. Gulf ally Kuwait on Thursday in retaliation for rounds of U.S. strikes on Iran earlier in the week, according to the Reading Eagle.
Comparing Casualties
Trump, in Friday's exchange with reporters, added that the U.S. death toll in the Iran conflict is relatively lower than in some other recent U.S. wars. The U.S., along with Israel, have only carried out air strikes in the Iran conflict, which began on Feb. 28, and have not deployed troops into the country, the Reading Eagle reported.
"We did Venezuela and we did this. In Venezuela, we lost nobody," Trump said, referring to the January U.S. military operation to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and bring him to New York City to face federal drug trafficking charges. "And this, we lost 18 people. And, in Vietnam we lost 100,000 people."
Records from the U.S. National Archives show that 58,220 U.S. armed forces died during the Vietnam War, a figure that differs from Trump's stated number, as noted by the Reading Eagle.
Trump also addressed the possibility of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon, saying that if Iran had one, "you probably wouldn't be standing here," according to the Reading Eagle.
Vance's Briefing and Oil Claims
Vance held the Thursday briefing in place of Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down as Press Secretary last week to spend more time with her young family, GB News reported.
During the briefing, Vance said that "15 million barrels of oil" were transported through the Strait of Hormuz because of U.S. military action, which he said a number of European countries "begged us not to do," as reported by GB News.
New Sanctions and Press Secretary Search
On Friday, the U.S. Treasury launched a fresh set of sanctions against three Iran-based companies, GB News reported.
Leavitt's replacement has yet to be named. During her maternity leave, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent filled in as Press Secretary, but all the men named have their own portfolios to manage, according to GB News.
Names floated for the next Press Secretary include CNN contributor Scott Jennings, White House policy adviser Stephen Miller, his wife Katie, and Deputy Press Secretary Katie Miller, GB News reported.