Vance Rebukes The Atlantic and Says U.S. Readiness Concerns

Vice President Mike Vance rejected the atlantic's report about his private comments on Iran and U.S. missile stockpiles, then said he is concerned about readiness because it is his job. He made the remarks on Will Cain's show after The Atlantic reported earlier this week that he had questioned the Pentagon's account of the war.

Vance said, "Most of these reports I ignore. This one I actually read because it ascribed views to me and things that I had allegedly said that I am just 100 percent certain that I have never said." He then added, "Now to answer your question, Will, of course I am concerned about our readiness, because that is my job to be concerned."

Vance and The Atlantic

The vice president's dispute centered on reporting that said he had repeatedly questioned the Defense Department's depiction of the war in Iran during private meetings. The Atlantic also reported that he had questioned whether the Pentagon understated what appeared to be the drastic depletion of U.S. missile stockpiles.

He followed that denial with a statement that put the concern back on the record. "It’s of course my job to ask these questions," Vance said, after telling viewers, "Don't believe everything you read, especially in papers like The Atlantic."

Trump's description of Vance

Donald Trump had already described Vance as "maybe less enthusiastic" about the war in Iran than other advisers. The timeline in the reporting matters because the campaign against Iran began two months ago, and Vance has been tied closely to the public debate over how the administration has handled it.

Vance's posture also fits his long record of skepticism toward foreign military interventions, while The Atlantic said concerns about American military readiness are being raised by others inside the administration, in Congress and elsewhere. That leaves Vance publicly denying the specific account while keeping readiness itself in the conversation.

Iran negotiations and cease-fire

Iran requested Vance as an interlocutor for negotiations, according to the reporting. Tehran has so far obtained a cease-fire without relinquishing control of the Strait of Hormuz or giving up its nuclear program, which keeps the dispute over military readiness and leverage in view as the public line hardens around the war.