US Vice President JD Vance has issued a forceful public defence of US President Donald Trump’s approach to Iran, praising what he called a decade of strategic consistency and pushing back against mounting criticism of the administration’s nuclear stance. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, JD Vance sets the record straight on Iran. Vance said the president remained resolute in his goal: to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon – by diplomacy if possible, or by other means if necessary.
He wrote: “POTUS has been amazingly consistent, over 10 years, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He said repeatedly that this would happen one of two ways – the easy way or the ‘other’ way.” The statement comes amid growing concern in Washington and abroad over the escalating confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the West. But Vance sought, despite admitting he could be “biased” towards “our president (and my friend)” to cut through what he called “crazy stuff on social media,” offering what he described as an insider’s view of the administration’s intentions.
“The president has made clear that Iran cannot have uranium enrichment,” Vance said. “Over the last few months, he encouraged his foreign policy team to reach a deal with the Iranians to accomplish this goal.”
He also addressed confusion around Iran’s nuclear activities, drawing a sharp distinction between civilian nuclear power – which he acknowledged can be peaceful – and uranium enrichment, which he argued had no legitimate justification given Iran’s history and obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Iran could have civilian nuclear power without enrichment, but Iran rejected that,” Vance wrote. “Meanwhile, they’ve enriched uranium far above the level necessary for any civilian purpose. They’ve been found in violation of their non-proliferation obligations by the IAEA, which is hardly a right-wing organisation.”
“I’ve yet to see a single good argument for why Iran needed to enrich uranium well above the threshold for civilian use,” he added.
Vance also praised the president’s restraint in military matters, implicitly contrasting Trump’s approach with the legacy of the post-9/11 era.
“The president has shown remarkable focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens,” he said. “He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment. That decision ultimately belongs to the president.”
His comments come as public opinion on Iran hardens.
A recent poll by The Economist/YouGov found that 50% of Americans now regard Iran as an outright enemy of the United States, with a further 25% calling it “unfriendly.”
Only 5% of respondents described Iran as either “friendly” or an “ally.”
With that backdrop, Vance’s message is as much a rebuttal of foreign policy traditionalists as it is a warning to critics on the left.
“Having seen this up close and personal,” he wrote, “I can assure you that he [Trump] is only interested in using the American military to accomplish the American people’s goals.”
With uranium enrichment continuing and regional tensions mounting, the president’s next move will be watched closely.