Ari Fleischer wrote that the American attack on Iran was President Donald Trump's own decision, not one imposed by Israel. Fleischer served as White House press secretary under former President George W. Bush. On Wednesday he rejected Vice President JD Vance's claim that the Iran war cost Republicans the midterm elections, and argued that the ceasefire did the damage, not the war.
Fleischer made the case in a post on X addressed directly to Vance, VINnews reported.
"The problem was not the Iran War. It was the cease fire. If you start a war, you need to win it and finish it – otherwise don't start it."
On Israel's role, Fleischer was explicit. "In June 2025, America was not involved. This was an Israel vs Iran issue," he wrote. "No one forced the United States to attack Iran then, or in February of 2026. It was a decision made by President Trump. In my opinion, it was the right decision."
In his view, the war should have ended six months ago, with the Strait of Hormuz "wide open and oil flowing." He said the second and third tiers of Iran's leadership should have been destroyed and that Washington should have backed "the pro-western forces who could have taken leadership." He added: "We stood on the brink of a new, more peaceful Middle East – and then we blinked."
The ceasefire, Fleischer wrote, led to "months of will we or won't we finish the job" and left the United States "in no man's land, with higher prices and our troops still deployed." He closed his post: "No, Mr. Vice President. It's not the war. It's the so-called cease fire."
