U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday declined to describe the ongoing U.S. military confrontation with Iran as a “war,” while also refusing to predict whether the six-month-old conflict would end before the November 3 congressional elections.
The elections are expected to be closely watched as Republicans seek to preserve their narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.
During a White House press briefing, Vance was asked whether the fighting could conclude before Americans head to the polls.
“I wouldn’t call it a war,” Vance said. “Right now, there is no active shooting.”
His remarks came as Iran launched an attack against Kuwait, a U.S. ally in the Gulf, as Tehran continued its response to a series of American strikes against Iranian targets earlier in the week.
Vance defended the U.S. military action, saying Washington had a “responsibility” to conduct the strikes because Iran has continued targeting commercial ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The vice president’s characterization of the conflict reflects the political challenge facing President Donald Trump and his administration as they seek to maintain Republican control of Congress.
The conflict, which the White House initially indicated would last only weeks, has instead continued for months, contributing to higher fuel prices and adding to inflationary pressures faced by American consumers.
Vance said the administration did not want to impose an “artificial timeline” on the conflict.
“But when you ask, ‘When will this end?’ You’re asking me a question like, ‘When will the Iranians stop shooting at ships?’” Vance said. “I think the reality is, I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians.”
Pentagon casualty figures draw scrutiny
The administration also faced questions in July over how military casualties from the conflict were being classified.
Four soldiers who died, along with dozens of wounded service members, were reportedly reclassified in the Defense Casualty Analysis System, which Pentagon officials have repeatedly described as the authoritative source for casualty figures related to the conflict.
The service members killed or wounded after a temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire collapsed were moved into a new category labeled “Overseas Operations,” despite initially being included in the casualty totals associated with the war.
The classification change has raised further scrutiny over how the administration is reporting the human cost of the prolonged U.S.-Iran fighting.