White House Denies Split Between Vance and Rubio on Iran Policy
Primary region US
Tags Diplomacy · Security
Regions US · Middle East
The White House publicly denied any division between Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Iran and Lebanon policy, despite the two officials having historically held diverging foreign policy positions. The question of internal divisions gained attention as Rubio engaged in diplomatic outreach to Gulf allies while Vance has previously expressed more isolationist views. Rubio met with Libyan National Army commander Saddam Haftar as part of a broader US push to resolve the Libya crisis, commending Libyan leaders' efforts to 'overcome divisions.'
Strategic interpretation
The White House's swift denial of internal divisions suggests awareness that public infighting could undermine US negotiating leverage with Iran. Rubio's diplomatic push in the Gulf and Libya indicates an effort to build a regional coalition, while Vance's more restrained approach may reflect a desire to limit US military exposure. The balance between these two approaches will shape US Middle East strategy in coming months.