Vance blames Iran War for Republican midterm losses

Vice President JD Vance blamed Republicans' sweeping midterm losses on the Iran War in a statement Wednesday, while President Donald Trump said he believes the war was worth losing the Senate. Vance wrote on X that "the reason we lost is the war," downplaying the economy's role in Democratic victories that secured majorities in both the House and Senate. Trump called Vance's take "largely true," citing short-term gasoline price increases, but reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon justified the conflict. The U.S. and Israel jointly launched the war in February, with costs estimated at $47.1 billion. Vance, initially a war critic who deferred to Trump, also cited inflation and U.S.-Israel relations as factors, while peace talks remain unresolved after a preliminary deal expired in August.