WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – U.S. Vice President JD Vance has declared that keeping oil and gasoline prices low for Americans is Washington's top priority in the war on Iran, placing what he called the prevention of a nuclear-armed Iran as the administration's second goal.
Vance made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, marking a notable departure from President Donald Trump's repeated claims that the war was primarily aimed at preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon – which the Islamic Republic has repeatedly declared, and U.S. intelligence has confirmed, it has never pursued.
"That's goal number one — keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country," Vance said. "And then obviously goal number two is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon."
Vance pointed to the sharp rise in oil prices during the early days of the war, saying Washington was now focused on preventing further pressure on American consumers. 
Since the war began on February 28, Trump has cycled through multiple, often contradictory war objectives. On the first day, he called on Iranians to "take over" their government. Days later, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth vowed to "destroy Iranian offensive missiles" and their navy. On March 6, Trump demanded "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER."
The timeline has also shifted repeatedly, from four to five weeks to no time frame at all. Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted Israel's determination to attack Iran "forced" Washington to strike, though Trump contradicted him the following day.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has privately told senior aides he may abandon the nuclear objective entirely and settle for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. With midterm elections approaching and gas prices remaining above $4 per gallon – more than $1 above pre-war levels – Trump is reportedly desperate for a way out.
"The pressure points for the Iranians are, while real, more endurable and bearable than those that are impacting the U.S. economy," said Suzanne Maloney, an Iran specialist at the Brookings Institution.