Key facts
- President Donald Trump described the conflict in Iran as "small potatoes."
President Donald Trump described the conflict in Iran as "small potatoes" for the United States, echoing Vice President JD Vance's assertion that it should not be classified as a "war."
The comments from President Trump and Vice President Vance downplay the severity of the conflict with Iran, potentially influencing public perception and political discourse ahead of midterm elections.
President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the conflict in Iran is "small potatoes" and defended Vice President JD Vance's assertion that the ongoing attacks in the Middle East do not constitute a "war."
During an exchange with reporters, Trump downplayed the intensity of the conflict, noting that U.S. strikes are now "intermittent." He added, "I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us. It’s not a big thing." The conflict has reportedly cost U.S. taxpayers more than $37.5 billion and resulted in 18 U.S. service member deaths.
Vance had previously stated during a White House press briefing that he "wouldn't call it a war" and that "there is no active shooting." His comments came as Iran fired at U.S. Gulf ally Kuwait in retaliation for U.S. strikes earlier in the week.
Trump also compared the U.S. death toll in the Iran conflict to other wars, citing the significantly higher numbers in Vietnam. He further argued that the conflict has led to the defanging of Iran's nuclear program, stating, "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon because if they did you probably wouldn’t be standing here."