Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Trump Backs Vance’s “Not a War” Description of Iran Conflict
President Donald Trump said the fighting involving the United States and Iran should not necessarily be called a war.
He agreed with Vice President JD Vance, who used different wording for the conflict.
Trump called it an intermittent military conflict.
He said the fighting was small compared with past US wars.
Trump claimed that the United States controlled the Strait of Hormuz.
He also said US forces had attacked military equipment, boats and ships near the waterway.
Trump reported that 18 Americans had been lost in the confrontation.
He compared that number with much larger losses in earlier wars.
The administration is emphasizing that the action is not a traditional, continuous war.
President Donald Trump endorsed Vice President JD Vance’s description of the Iran confrontation as not a war.
Trump called the hostilities an intermittent military conflict and said they were “small potatoes” for the United States.
He said US forces controlled the Strait of Hormuz and had struck radar sites, aircraft, boats and ships.
Trump contrasted the reported 18 US deaths with much higher casualties in earlier conflicts such as Vietnam.
He said the confrontation differed from a conventional, sustained war because US strikes were intermittent rather than continuous fighting.
- Who
- President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, the United States and Iran.
- What
- Trump described the confrontation with Iran as an intermittent military conflict rather than a war.
- When
- Friday, according to the report; the article does not specify a calendar date.
- Where
- The confrontation involves Iran and areas around the Strait of Hormuz; Trump spoke at the Oval Office.
- Why
- Trump said the conflict was intermittent and much smaller in scale than previous US wars, while defending the administration’s terminology.
- US position
- Trump called the situation a military conflict, not necessarily a war.
- Description of fighting
- Trump characterized the conflict as intermittent rather than continuous.
- Strait of Hormuz
- Trump claimed that US forces controlled the strategically important waterway.
- Reported US deaths
- Trump said the United States had lost 18 people in the confrontation.
- Reported US operations
- Trump said US forces struck radar installations, aircraft, other military assets, boats and ships.
- Earlier conflicts cited
- Trump compared the situation with Vietnam and other conflicts involving much higher US casualties.