Marco Rubio’s comments on the Iran war have put fresh pressure on his close ally JD Vance, after the secretary of state made it clear that responsibility for the administration’s policy does not stop with President Donald Trump. Rubio’s remarks also land awkwardly as both men remain possible 2028 successors to Trump.

Marco Rubio says JD Vance and other officials share responsibility for Iran policy decisions

Marco Rubio first pointed to Donald Trump as the person ultimately calling the shots, saying to Fox News, “The person in charge of all of these things is the president.” He then broadened the picture, stressing that “everyone’s played a role,” and specifically included JD Vance among those involved in the administration’s Iran decisions.

This matters because Vance has reportedly taken a very different position behind closed doors. The New York Times reported that the vice president opposed military action against Iran during discussions with Trump before the conflict began. The Atlantic also reported that Vance resisted the president’s plans ahead of the February airstrikes.

Maggie Haberman later said on NBC that Vance was the only person who “really vocally took issue” with Trump over the war. She said his stance “irritated” Trump and “cost Vance with Trump.” In public, however, Vance has continued defending Trump’s decision rather than breaking ranks.

The political heat has grown as the war drags on. The war is also taking a toll at home, and the numbers are hard to ignore. A CNN/SSRS poll found that 70% of Americans believe the conflict has damaged US interests, while 76% said the human and financial costs were not worth it.

At least 18 American service members have died, while Brown University’s Iran War Energy Cost Tracker puts the added fuel burden above $100 billion. For households, that translates to more than $750 in additional gasoline and diesel costs.

The Iran talks have put Vance front and center, with the vice president now handling efforts to turn the provisional peace arrangement into reality. But Washington and Tehran remain at odds over the terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

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