White House slams ‘fake narrative’ that Vance is absent from Iran strikes amid Operation Epic Fury

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Vice President JD Vance says he won’t reveal what he told President Donald Trump in Situation Room talks as Operation Epic Fury continues against the Iranian regime. (Pool) White House officials balked at reporting that Vice President JD Vance had been distant from Operation Epic Fury as strikes continued from both Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces in the Middle East Tuesday. Critics have claimed that Vance has intentionally distanced himself from public appearances and potentially negotiations related to U.S. active military engagement in Iran and the Middle East. "This fake narrative is absolutely laughable to every single person who is in the know in Washington," a White House official told Fox News Digital. "It’s a classic mainstream media creation." ABC News had reported that a senior White House official punched back at the idea that Vance wasn’t pr