Edition · Thu 05 Nov 2026
Politics Desk
Our View: The Vice President Named the Cause. Now Washington Must End the War Wisely
JD Vance said what the voters already knew: the Iran war cost Republicans their majorities. Finding a scapegoat at the Pentagon will not fix that. A responsible, negotiated end to the conflict, made with Congress, would.
By Rachel · Edited by Chanan Zevin - Chief Editor and Head of Desks
Published
An honest diagnosis
It is rare for a sitting vice president to say plainly that his own administration's central policy cost it an election. JD Vance did exactly that on Wednesday: "The reason we lost is the war." He was right, and he deserves credit for saying it. Voters in red states and blue ones watched fuel prices climb and the cost of living rise while the conflict with Iran dragged on with no clear end.
An honest diagnosis
The president's answer, that he "would have done nothing different," is the wrong lesson. A leader can defend a hard decision. He cannot ignore the verdict of the people who must live with its costs.
A scapegoat is not a strategy
Many Republicans now want Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to carry the blame, and a House vote on impeaching him may come as soon as next week. Congress has every right to hold a cabinet officer to account, and there are serious questions to ask about how the war was sold and run.
A scapegoat is not a strategy
But removing one official would not change the policy. The decision to go to war was the president's, and so is the decision about whether to resume it. Lawmakers who want to respond to the voters should focus less on finding someone to punish and more on the war powers that the Constitution gives to Congress.
The diplomatic opening
There is a path. Talks through Qatari mediators have picked up in the past week, and analysts see an interim arrangement on the Strait of Hormuz as more realistic than a grand bargain. Markets have already shown what de-escalation is worth: oil fell sharply on Wednesday, and bond yields eased, as traders bet on a quieter Gulf.
The diplomatic opening
The worst outcome now would be for a weakened president to seek redemption on the battlefield. A new round of strikes in the weeks before a Democratic Congress takes office would be reckless. Any major step should come to Congress first, as it should have from the start.
A lesson in accepting results
One more point deserves attention. Mr. Trump has said he accepts the results of Tuesday's election. That should be routine in a democracy, and it is welcome. In Israel, by contrast, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still disputing a certified result, without evidence, and the head of the internal security service is pressing to investigate Arab party leaders. Democracies are strongest when their leaders accept defeat with grace.
A lesson in accepting results
Voters on both sides of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean have spoken clearly. The task for their leaders is to listen, end a costly war responsibly, and get on with governing.