Pence Warns Trump: "Go In and Finish the Job" in Iran as War Drags On

Former Vice President Mike Pence has issued a stern warning to President Donald Trump regarding the ongoing conflict in Iran, asserting that Trump must "go in and finish the job" to secure a decisive victory. Pence's remarks come as the war approaches its six-month mark, far exceeding initial predictions by Trump administration officials who claimed it would be over in "weeks." The prolonged conflict has also been linked to increasing unpopularity for President Trump at home.

Speaking on CNN from Kyiv, Ukraine, Pence, a known Iran hawk, suggested that the Iranian military and its leadership are failing to acknowledge the realities on the ground. He implied that an "inevitable" next step would be the deployment of further U.S. forces inside Iran.

I think the time is going to come sooner rather than later when the president and our ally Israel are going to have to go in and finish the job,

Pence stated.

He dismissed the ongoing negotiations for a 60-day ceasefire as "for naught," arguing that Iran would only agree to terms if its leaders publicly acknowledged total defeat. "You don't make peace with your enemy, you make peace with your defeated enemy," Pence emphasized. Meanwhile, Iran has issued its own strong warnings.

Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's new security chief, threatened that any neighboring countries joining new U.S. economic measures would be considered "enemies." He stated that Iran would target oil-shipping routes out of the Persian Gulf, alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, if these neighbors participate in what he described as an "economic war" against Iran. Rezaei explicitly warned that such nations would be considered enemies, and Iran would "target their interests." Pence's comments also coincided with the USS Abraham Lincoln's departure from the region after a nine-month deployment, replaced by the USS George Washington.

The extended deployment of the Lincoln had drawn criticism on Capitol Hill following media reports of food shortages, cleanliness issues, and serious mental health problems among the crew. While Trump officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have dismissed these reports as false, Pence cheered the Lincoln's departure but maintained that a continued deployment of U.S. military assets to the region would be necessary for the foreseeable future.

The escalating rhetoric from both sides underscores the deepening tensions in the Middle East, with no clear end in sight to the "economic war" or military posturing. #IranWar #MikePence #USForeignPolicy