Cracks appear to be showing inside the Trump administration as the standoff between the United States and Iran drags on. According to a new report, Vice President JD Vance isn’t convinced that the Pentagon is telling President Donald Trump the real story of what’s happening on the ground.
Is the Pentagon hiding the ground reality?
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine have been full of praise for the US military’s performance across the eight-week conflict. They insist American forces have wiped out Iran’s air force, navy and large parts of its defence infrastructure, and argue that US weapons stockpiles are still in good shape.
But a report in The Atlantic says Vance has pushed back on these claims more than once behind closed doors.
Is Trump getting the wrong picture?
Sources quoted in the report say Vance believes the version of the war being shown to Trump may be far from the truth. His biggest worry is the sharp drop in American missile stockpiles.
Senior administration officials told the magazine that Vance has flagged concerns about missile system availability. His fear is simple: if Iran keeps forcing the US to burn through munitions at this rate, Washington could be short on resources for any future clash with China, North Korea or Russia.
Vance is also said to have opposed ‘Operation Epic Fury’ from the very start, warning it would backfire. He had led the first round of peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, which collapsed. The second round, due this week, has been called off too.
What stands out is the contrast in his behaviour. In public, Vance praises Hegseth. In private meetings, according to the report, he is picking apart the strategic planning. Some officials go further, claiming Hegseth mostly tells the President what he wants to hear.