Walz vs Vance: Attack, counter-attack on Iran-Israel conflict in veep debate

The first and only vice-presidential debate between Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Republican Ohio Senator JD Vance took place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York on Tuesday. This high-stakes debate covered many crucial issues for American voters, with the US presidential election set for November 5.
Hosted by CBS News, the debate was moderated by anchors Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan. Key topics included foreign policy, reproductive rights, threats to democracy, immigration, and more.
Throughout the debate, both vice-presidential candidates — Tim Walz and JD Vance — defended their running mates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, while also attacking their opponents’ positions.
The 90-minute debate saw sharp barbs on the Iran-Israel conflict, with both candidates presenting their positions on the issue.
Republican JD Vance, 40, representing Donald Trump’s campaign, emphasised the importance of supporting Israel’s right to defend itself in the face of aggression from Iran. Vance praised Trump’s foreign policy record, suggesting that the world was more stable under Trump due to his philosophy of “peace through strength”.
Vance argued that Trump’s decisive actions in the Middle East, including withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, strengthened US deterrence against hostile actors.
He criticised the Kamala Harris administration for unfreezing over $100 billion in Iranian assets, suggesting this enabled Iran’s ability to launch attacks against Israel and potentially the US.
Addressing the question of a preemptive strike on Iran by Israel, Vance was clear, “It is up to Israel what they think they need to do to keep their country safe, and we should support our allies when they’re fighting the bad guys.”
Vance also noted that Donald Trump had successfully maintained stability in the region without entering major conflicts, saying that Trump’s leadership would make the American dream attainable once again.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, representing the Harris campaign, stressed the importance of “steady leadership” in dealing with the Iran-Israel conflict.
He outlined the administration’s commitment to helping Israel defend itself, referencing the recent joint US-Israeli efforts to stop Iran’s failed attack.
Walz highlighted the administration’s focus on diplomatic coalitions and military preparedness, noting that over 40,000 US troops had been deployed to the region to prevent a wider conflict.
Walz was critical of Trump’s foreign policy, accusing him of destabilising the situation in Iran by pulling out of the nuclear deal without offering a better alternative.
“Donald Trump pulled that programme and put nothing else in its place,” Walz said, blaming Trump’s “fickle” leadership for Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon.
He also mentioned Trump’s failure to respond adequately when Iranian missiles injured US troops, highlighting the importance of consistent, strong alliances under Harris.
Walz affirmed Harris’s steady hand during multiple crises, contrasting it with what he characterised as Trump’s erratic decision-making, which, according to Walz, compromised both US and Israeli security.