Vice President Vance questions Iran's claim of U.S. strike on wedding, says investigation ongoing
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Vice President JD Vance expressed skepticism about Iran's allegation that a U.S. strike hit a wedding, emphasizing that the United States does not target civilians and that a probe is under way.
Vice President JD Vance told reporters that he is "extremely skeptical" of Iran's state media report that a U.S. strike hit a wedding party, noting that the United States "never targets civilians in combat" and that any mistakes would be investigated promptly. He added that the United States is looking into the incident because it "cares" about civilian safety, while contrasting U.S. military conduct with that of Iran.
Vance also defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, describing him as a close friend and praising his efforts to shift the culture within the Department of Defense toward a revived "warrior spirit." He said the secretary is "an amazing secretary of war" and that the changes aim to improve the military's effectiveness.
When asked about the broader U.S.-Iran conflict, Vance said he would not characterize the situation as a war, noting that there is no active shooting and that major combat operations had ended after the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities.
The briefing marked Vance's first press conference since the departure of his communications director, and he declined to comment on unrelated topics such as the deportation of Milo Yiannopoulos or domestic policy issues.