US Vice President JD Vance reportedly gathered unvarnished assessments of the Iran war behind the scenes that differed from the picture publicly presented by the administration, The New York Times reported.
Vance contacted US military commanders in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia throughout the spring and summer to seek their unfiltered assessments of the war in Iran, NYT reported on Thursday, citing current and former US officials.
The report said that Vance sought commanders' individual judgments in their own words before consolidating them into a broader Pentagon assessment.
The discussions focused on various issues, including the war's objectives and tactics, casualty estimates, Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz, and how adaptable Iranian forces had become.
Vance also reportedly asked for detailed accounts of what remained in commanders' stockpiles and how transferring weapons to the Middle East could affect their ability to deter China, Russia, and North Korea.
The commanders were particularly concerned about depleted stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles, with some warning that supplies of critical munitions were at their lowest levels ever.
Some of Vance's conversations also involved concerns over the administration's overall strategy and the prospects for success.
Different assessment
The report said the private assessments Vance received differed significantly from the picture senior US administration officials, including President Donald Trump, presented publicly.
The report, however, said Vance's calls were made with the knowledge of Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that "to ensure the president's team receives all available data points regarding ongoing operations in the Middle East, the secretary has facilitated direct access to combatant commanders for the vice president and other senior White House leaders."
Vance reportedly told colleagues within days of the war's start that he wanted detailed briefings to inform his views and better advise Trump, seeking military officers' unfiltered opinions to incorporate into his counsel to the president.
Vance tracked the daily details of the conflict, including military operations, the internal dynamics of Iran's political system, and the sourcing of intelligence assessments.
John Ratcliffe, the CIA director, also reportedly gave Vance direct access to agency analysts. Vance called some analysts at their desks to ask about raw intelligence and items included in morning briefings, according to the report.
Pentagon officials also said Hegseth had the Office of Naval Intelligence prepare daily reports for Vance on the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump's other senior aides now receive as well.
The reports described which ships were transiting the strait, their flags, and their cargo.
