Vance privately accused Netanyahu of being 'wrong on everything' about Iran: report

Senior officials in US President Donald Trump's administration have been divided for months over the war with Iran, with Vice President JD Vance privately criticising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and warning that the conflict could cost Republicans control of Congress, according to US media reports.

Vance privately accused Netanyahu of "being wrong on everything" regarding Iran and repeatedly urged Trump to negotiate an end to the conflict, Axios reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

The vice president also warned that the war was deeply unpopular among American voters and could lead to Republican defeats in Tuesday's midterm elections, according to the report.

The Wall Street Journal separately reported that tensions had grown between officials advocating continued military operations and those pushing for a diplomatic settlement.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has supported continuing the campaign, while Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials have favoured negotiations.

The disagreements have become more visible since Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's elections.

White House weighed political cost of military strikes

According to the Wall Street Journal, senior administration officials met in the White House Situation Room in September to discuss the domestic political consequences of the war.

Participants, including Vance and Rubio, reportedly raised concerns that publicly acknowledging continued US military strikes against Iran could damage Republican candidates in competitive races.

The officials briefed Trump, who agreed that publicising the operations would not help the party's electoral prospects, the newspaper reported.

US forces subsequently carried out limited defensive strikes against Iranian missile launchers and other military equipment without publicly highlighting the operations, according to the Journal.

The newspaper also reported that some White House advisers blamed Hegseth for persuading Trump that the conflict would be relatively short. Trump has nevertheless defended the defence secretary and indicated that he does not intend to remove him.

Netanyahu reportedly pushed for renewed attacks

Axios reported that Netanyahu had urged Trump to resume military strikes against Iran before the midterm elections, despite warnings from senior US officials about the political risks.

Trump considered renewed attacks but ultimately decided to wait until after the elections, according to the report.

Most senior officials around Trump reportedly shared Vance's preference for reaching an agreement with Tehran, although the president remained inclined towards further military action.

The report also said Trump endorsed Netanyahu in Israel's recent election despite advice from senior members of his administration against doing so.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has continued preparations for a possible resumption of major combat operations. The WSJ reported that another aircraft carrier strike group and a Marine expeditionary unit were moving towards the Middle East, potentially bringing thousands of additional US personnel to the region.

Vance links election losses directly to Iran war

The internal divisions became public on Wednesday when Vance directly blamed the conflict for the Republican Party's electoral setback.

"The reason we lost is the war," he wrote on social media.

The Washington Post reported that Vance believed Republican voters who backed Trump in 2024 had turned against the party over the Iran war, rising living costs and dissatisfaction with the administration's foreign policy.

He identified four major concerns among disillusioned voters: ending the war, addressing inflation and living costs, restoring the administration's America First priorities and changing Washington's relationship with Israel.

"Our voters showed up," Vance wrote, arguing that many nevertheless voted for Democratic candidates.

His remarks marked a departure from Trump's initial response to the election results, when the president and his advisers sought to place responsibility for the losses on Republican candidates.

Trump later acknowledged that the war had contributed to the defeat, particularly by pushing up petrol prices.

"I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term," he told reporters on Wednesday.

However, Trump defended the military campaign, arguing that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remained essential. He also said he was aware of Vance's position and spoke positively about the vice president's remarks.

Trump faces military and diplomatic choices

The election setback has intensified debate over the next steps in the conflict. According to Axios, Trump is weighing three main options: resuming major strikes, negotiating an agreement with Tehran, or maintaining the naval blockade and economic sanctions while seeking further concessions.

Qatari mediators are reportedly working on a draft agreement aimed at preventing renewed fighting and potentially paving the way for direct US-Iranian negotiations.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other advisers reportedly favour giving the existing blockade and economic pressure campaign more time to work.

Other officials have advocated renewed strikes followed by negotiations, while some have urged Trump to bring the military campaign to an end, according to the WSJ.

Vance's public criticism has also highlighted the political challenges facing the vice president, who is widely viewed as a potential Republican presidential contender in 2028.

TRT World and Agencies — TRT World and Agencies

Photo: AP