US Senator Sanders slams VP Vance over Iran ‘not a war’ comment
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- US Senator Bernie Sanders criticized Vice President JD Vance for saying the ongoing US conflict with Iran should not be described as a war.
- Sanders pointed to the deaths of US service members and thousands of people across the region as evidence of the scale of the fighting.
US Senator Bernie Sanders has criticized Vice President JD Vance for describing the ongoing US conflict with Iran as “not a war.”
Vance made the remarks during a White House briefing on Thursday, saying he “wouldn’t call it a war” because there was currently no active shooting, while acknowledging that fighting had flared up in some areas.
Sanders responded on X, saying: “JD Vance said what’s happening in Iran is not a ‘war.’ Please explain that to the families of the 19 US service members who lost their lives or the thousands of people who have been killed across the region.”
His comments came amid renewed criticism of the administration’s characterization of the conflict, particularly as questions remain over compensation for families of US service members killed during the fighting.
President Donald Trump also sought to minimize the scale of the confrontation on Friday, describing the Iran conflict as “small potatoes” and agreeing with Vance that it should be characterized as a military conflict rather than a war.
The US-Iran fighting has continued for months, with the administration maintaining military forces in the region while tensions have also centered on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has become an increasingly sensitive political issue for the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections.
