Vance declines to detail his advice to Trump on Iran war: It’s ‘classified’

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The Hill's Headlines — March 13, 2026

The Hill's Headlines — March 13, 2026

Vice President Vance on Friday did not disclose what he advised President Trump on the U.S. strikes on Iran, telling reporters it was “classified.” 

“I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not going to show up here and in front of God and everybody else [and] tell you exactly what I said in that classified room,” Vance told reporters in Rocky Mount, N.C., referring to the White House Situation Room. 

“Partially because I don’t want to go to prison, and partially because I think it’s important for the president of the United States to be able to talk to those advisers without those advisers running their mouth to the American media,” he continued. 

The vice president’s comments come as reports detailing division between Vance and Trump over Iran have emerged in recent days. Vance has spoken out against prolonged U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts in the past. 

On Monday, Trump described Vance as being “maybe less enthusiastic” at the start of the war but said he and the vice president “get along very well on this.” 

“He was, I would say, philosophically a little bit different than me. I think he was maybe less enthusiastic about going, but he was quite enthusiastic,” he continued.

“But I felt it was something we had to do. I didn’t feel we had a choice. If we didn’t do it, they would have done it to us,” he said. “I felt that based on the negotiations that were being had with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Marco [Rubio] and Pete [Hegseth] and everybody that was involved, I felt that they were looking to tap us along.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended Vance when asked about the reported divisions on Friday, calling the vice president an “indispensable voice” in the administration. 

“He’s an incredible member, leader of this team as well, alongside the president and secretary of State,” Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing. 

“I can’t say enough great stuff about this team, how it works together, how it provides options to the president,” he continued. “And the vice president, every single day is a key voice in that.” 

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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