President Trump and Vice President Vance Downplay Iran Conflict, Calling it 'Small Potatoes'
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have characterized the ongoing conflict with Iran as 'small potatoes' and 'not a big thing,' despite the deaths of 18 U.S. service members and over $37.5 billion in taxpayer costs. During a White House press briefing on Thursday, Vance stated he 'wouldn't call it a war,' noting there was 'no active shooting' at the time, even as Iran had fired at Kuwait in retaliation for U.S. strikes. President Trump echoed this sentiment on Friday, defending Vance's remarks and describing U.S. strikes as 'intermittent.' He compared the current conflict's casualties to those of past wars, such as Vietnam, to minimize its perceived scale.