When Vice President JD Vance appeared at the White House on Thursday, he offered no clarity on when the war with Iran might end, nor did he provide any timeline for oil prices to return to pre-conflict levels. Instead, he shifted the focus to Iran—this conflict began six months ago with a joint U.S.-Israel air strike—and emphasized that whether it ends now depends entirely on Iran.

Vance defended his stance, saying: “The current confrontation shouldn’t even be called a ‘war,’ because actual front-line combat ended months ago.” He also stressed there was “no active firefight” at present—despite the fact that U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire for three consecutive days near the Strait of Hormuz this week.

Presenting the Middle East situation as an occasional low-intensity clash is clearly a government effort to downplay war talk ahead of the midterm elections, just two months away—even though U.S. military operations continue to hit Iranian targets. Pentagon figures updated Thursday show that since the conflict erupted in late February, 790 U.S. service members have been wounded and 18 killed.

On Tuesday, the U.S. launched a multi-pronged operation targeting nearly 60 military installations near the strait—including air defense systems, radar sites, naval equipment, mine-laying devices, and communication hubs—while escorting commercial vessels through the waterway. Military officials expect further strikes in the region, noting Iran’s strong repair capabilities, which officials liken to “mowing grass” or “whack-a-mole”—every time one wave is eliminated, another emerges.

Although Tuesday’s operation was deemed successful, officials do not believe the conflict will end quickly. Moreover, even with naval escorts, energy companies remain terrified and are reluctant to send ships through the strait.

The war is unpopular among the public and has driven up gas prices, making Republicans especially anxious about losing their majority in Congress. Trump insisted this week that he felt no pressure to stop fighting before the vote—but his advisers and allies openly admit that it would be most advantageous for them if the war could gradually fade from public view before November.

Vance had initially opposed going to war with Iran and actively pursued diplomatic solutions earlier this summer. However, the ceasefire agreement he helped broker collapsed just two weeks later, plunging both sides back into a cycle of mutual attacks, as Iran continues to hold firm on its control over the strait.

Most of August remained relatively calm. But this week, U.S. forces targeted Iranian positions near the strait believed to be preparing mine-laying operations, reigniting hostilities. Vance said the administration is investigating reports that the recent airstrike killed four people during a wedding celebration in a village near the strait. While he acknowledged the possibility of civilian casualties, he firmly maintained: “The U.S. military never attacks civilians in combat,” adding: “We’ve never done it, and we never will. Unfortunately, accidents happen sometimes—but we’ve received no reports related to this incident.”

In retaliation, Iran attacked U.S. military bases in the region.

Vance stated: “Negotiations with Iran have now stopped.” Speaking at a Thursday press briefing, he said: “The president made it clear—unless they cease firing at merchant ships, we won’t talk to them.”

With talks stalled, the endgame remains uncertain. Vance couldn’t say whether the war would conclude before the November 3 election. He remarked: “When you ask when it will end, you’re really asking when Iran will stop firing at ships. Honestly, I don’t know the answer—you’ll have to ask the Iranians.”

The vice president also didn’t offer a timeline for when gasoline prices might come down. He said: “I won’t promise when we’ll return to $3 per gallon. All I can say is, don’t forget why we’re fighting—the primary goal is ensuring Iran never builds a nuclear weapon.”

The venue for Vance’s remarks was the White House Press Room, a space that has been vacant for 42 days—press secretary Caroline Levitt resigned last week, and Trump has yet to appoint a replacement.

Vance spoke for nearly an hour, covering topics ranging from Iran to his own weight loss. He attributed his slimming down to a diet plan devised by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: “I eat a lot of high-protein foods, and I eat a lot of sauerkraut.” He joked: “If you want to enjoy good food, don’t go to Bobby Kennedy (referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.).”

He also strongly backed another cabinet member—Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—who has faced mounting criticism over recent weeks due to controversies including the dismissal of senior officers, stalled promotions, and resignations among top officials. This week, Army Secretary Dan DeVries (a close friend of Vance’s from Yale Law School) submitted his resignation, making him the latest high-ranking official to leave the Department of Defense—leaving the Army without its top civilian leader.

Hegseth himself served nearly 20 years in the National Guard and has shown particular concern for the Army, dismissing or forcing out several key leaders. Even some prominent retired Republicans have called for his removal. North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis (who cast a pivotal vote in Hegseth’s confirmation last year) said he “has never seen such incompetent management of men who have served their country,” and criticized Hegseth for being “frightened by his own incompetence.”

Yet Vance dismissed these departures as irrelevant, instead framing Hegseth’s actions as necessary reform. He said: “I’ve lived through many wars in my life—42 years total—and until Trump became president, we almost never won a single one.”

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875367755838468/

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