Washington: US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that the Iran war contributed to the Republican Party’s electoral defeat, saying the conflict, inflation and relations with Israel were among the key factors behind the unexpected results.
Vance said Republicans lost their Senate majority because of the war, describing the election outcome as an unexpected setback.
He said voters had demanded changes to the America First policy and the US relationship with Israel.
The vice president stressed that Republican leadership would need to reassess its policies following the electoral defeat.
“If someone thinks that losing the Senate majority for the next six years in exchange for the war was a good deal, they should openly defend that position,” Vance said.
His remarks came after Republicans suffered a major setback in the US midterm elections, raising questions about the political consequences of the administration’s military engagement with Iran.
Vance’s comments are also being viewed as an attempt to distance himself politically from the Iran war, particularly as he is considered a potential contender in the 2028 presidential election.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump also acknowledged the role of the Iran war in the Republican electoral defeat but expressed no regret over the decision to launch the conflict.
Trump maintained that he had made the right decision and said he would take the same action again if given the opportunity.