In a lengthy post on the social media platform X, U.S. Vice President JD Vance urged Americans to "trust" President Donald Trump to make the right decision about potential war with Iran—but progressive observers noted that Vance's 374-word exposition was based on an entirely false premise: that the president has the authority to unilaterally decide to take military action against a foreign country.
"If it involves military action, that decision belongs to Congress, which has not authorized war against Iran," said Matt Duss, a former foreign policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and executive vice president at the Center for International Policy. "A former senator should know this."
Vance said he could provide a look "from the inside" amid escalating tensions over Israel's bombardment of hundreds of targets in Iran, which have killed more than 220 people since last Friday.
The airstrikes came amid U.S. talks with Iran over the Middle Eastern country's nuclear program, which Iranian officials say is used only for civilian purposes. Trump exited the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran during his first term, even though the deal effectively blocked Iran from militarizing its program.
On Tuesday, Trump suggested the U.S. and Israel could target Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, and demanded the country's "unconditional surrender"—intensifying concerns that the administration intends to directly involve U.S. troops in the conflict.
Already, Air Force refueling planes have headed for Europe in recent days, and Trump demanded that Tehran's population of 10 million people evacuate the city at 2:00 am local time on Tuesday—suggesting the U.S. is already involved.
In his post on X, Vance expounded on what he said was widespread "confusion" about Iran's nuclear capabilities since the first Trump administration tore up the 2015 deal, before claiming that Trump "has shown remarkable restraint in keeping our military's focus on protecting our troops and protecting our citizens," and that the president "may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment."
"That decision ultimately belongs to the president," claimed Vance.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) suggested the vice president was obfuscating the simple question of whether the U.S. military should become directly involved in the conflict. Despite silence from top Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), at least 25 lawmakers have faced the issue head-on by supporting legislation to stop Trump from unilaterally starting a war with Iran.
"That is a lot of words with no position. Will you stand with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and me and oppose U.S. strikes in Iran without congressional authorization?" asked Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), naming the only congressional Republican who has backed a war powers resolution regarding Iran so far.
Vance said as recently as 2023 that he would not support unprovoked U.S. military action against Iran.
"If you're talking about an attack on the Iranian mainland," he toldCBS News at the time, "I think that would be a significant escalation."
