Vance Concedes 'Huge Mistake' on Kuwait Troop Placement at CBS Town Hall, Defends Iran and Immigration Policies
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance defended the administration's Iran war, gasoline prices and immigration enforcement before Michigan voters in a CBS "Things That Matter" town hall that aired Saturday night, and conceded that U.S. troop placement in Kuwait before a deadly Iranian strike in March had been a "huge mistake."
According to the Associated Press, among those questioning Vance was Joey Amor, whose wife, Army Reserve Master Sgt. Nicole Amor, was one of six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed on March 1 when an Iranian drone struck a U.S. military site in Kuwait. Amor pressed Vance on mistakes and leadership failures ahead of the attack and on accountability. Vance said it was "literally the first time I've heard of this," adding that the job is an amazing honor but that information sometimes does not filter up to him. He then acknowledged that there were issues with where troops were located "that we realized was a huge mistake and that we could do better on, and we have changed that." He said cheap drones have transformed modern warfare and that the military has adjusted its tactics.
On gasoline prices, Vance blamed Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and refining capacity taken offline under the Biden administration, saying the government is using the Defense Production Act to restore refining. He said prices will come down when the conflict ends but gave no timeline. He also defended seeking a firm commitment that Iran will not rebuild its nuclear program.
On immigration, answering a nun's question about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) separating families, Vance said the administration is seeking a balance and conceded his own past rhetoric on immigrants was imperfect. Asked about corruption around the White House, he called selling access disgusting and said he would cooperate with subpoenas if Democrats win Congress.
Asked about a 2028 presidential run, Vance said there is "of course" a chance he does not run, that he will decide after the midterms, and noted that he and his wife, Usha Vance, have four young children. (GSM, based on Associated Press and other media reports)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 副总统万斯官方肖像（2026年3月25日，白宫官方照片，Emily J. Higgins 摄，公共领域）。Official portrait of Vice President JD Vance, March 25, 2026. Official White House photo by Emily J. Higgins, public domain.
