Vance declines to reveal advice he gave Trump on Iran war: 'I don't want to go to prison'

ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA: US Vice President JD Vance refused to reveal what advice he gave President Donald Trump about the US strikes on Iran, saying the details are classified. Speaking to reporters, Vance joked that sharing the information could land him in prison.

His remarks come as reports suggest there may be possible differences between him and Trump over how to handle Iran.

JD Vance highlights the highly secure White House Situation Room

When asked about his advice and whether he had raised concerns about the risk of a prolonged war, Vance said the discussions happened inside the highly secure White House Situation Room.

"Imagine the situation we’re in — we’re in the situation room where you can’t even take your, you know, iPod in there, or your Airpods," the VP explained.

Vance also shared that he met with Trump and senior White House officials to discuss different options to protect the American people.

"You can’t take anything in there, because it is the most classified space anywhere in the world, and I sit there with... the entire White House team and the President — and I and the entire senior team are talking about the options and about what we need to do and about how we must best protect the American people."

Vance added that he would not reveal what he said during those talks because the conversation was classified. Vance said, "I hate to disappoint you, but I’m not going to show up here and in front of God and everybody else tell you exactly what I said in that classified room."

He joked, "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 his advisors without those advisors running their mouth to the American media."

In his prepared speech to the crowd in North Carolina, Vance made only brief comments about the conflict. He asked people to pray for US service members involved in the operation and said the military action aims to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, something he noted many past presidents had also promised.

Trump says Vance may have been less enthusiastic about the Iran war

JD Vance has previously spoken against the US getting involved in long foreign wars. On Monday, March 9, President Donald Trump said Vance may have been “a little less enthusiastic” when the war began, but added that the two leaders still agree on the issue and work well together.

Trump said, "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. 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 also said the decision came after discussions and negotiations involving officials such as Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth.

“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," Trump shared.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected reports of divisions in the administration. Speaking at a press briefing at the Pentagon, he described Vance as an “indispensable voice” and said the vice president plays an important role in discussions and in advising the president.

"And the vice president, every single day is a key voice in that," Hegseth added.