The joint military operation between Washington and Jerusalem against Tehran sparked disagreements among members of US President Donald Trump’s team. This was reported by Bild newspaper, citing an informed source.
According to journalists, the US administration was divided into two opposing camps: supporters of active hostilities and skeptics who doubted the feasibility of the conflict. The main figures in this confrontation were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Rubio, who serves as the chief diplomatic mind for Operation Epic Fury, is one of Trump’s foreign policy hawks. Even a month before the strikes began, he publicly warned of Washington’s plans to increase its military presence in the Middle East and the possibility of launching pre-emptive strikes.
J.D. Vance, on the other hand, takes a calm stance. The Vice President finds himself in a difficult position, having to balance his critical view of the war with the necessity of remaining loyal to the course of the Commander-in-Chief. Analysts view this internal conflict as a “rehearsal” for the future struggle for the presidency.
Both Rubio and Vance are considered among the most prominent contenders to succeed Trump in the 2028 elections, and their differences over Iran highlight the clash between two different approaches to the future of American foreign policy.
Trump himself has previously said that the goals of the United States and Israel in the operation against Iran may not coincide.