Suozzi says on CNN that Vance's "I wouldn't call it a war" is "just irresponsible"
Tom SuozziU.S. representative from New York and co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, interviewed on CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins whether it matters if the administration describes the fighting as a war, Suozzi said, "it's really irresponsible", citing people dying and bombs being fired. Later in his answer he said, "Not semantics," and, repeating Vance's phrase, "I wouldn't call it a war. The Vice President. I mean, that's just irresponsible."
Responding to
Vice President JD Vance said he would not call the U.S. fight with Iran a war, saying there is no active shooting right now and that major combat operations lasted about six weeks.
“I mean, it's really irresponsible. I mean, there are people dying. There are bombs being fired. Everybody's life is being upended. We see what the effects here domestically, with oil prices going up so dramatically, gas prices at the pump. It's just irresponsible. ... This is serious, sophisticated, life and death world issues that require serious people to work together. Not semantics. You know, I wouldn't call it a war. The Vice President. I mean, that's just irresponsible.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Is the U.S. fight with Iran a war, as Vice President Vance says it is not?
At a White House press briefing on September 3, 2026, Vice President JD Vance was asked whether the fighting with Iran would be over before the midterm elections. He said, "I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting," and said major combat operations lasted about six weeks. The next day President Trump said he calls it "a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us." Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Thomas Massie and Democrat Amy McGrath, a former Marine pilot, criticized the description or Trump's defense of it. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the U.S. is "still in a conflict, for sure," and, as quoted by Al Arabiya English, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the fighting "an overt military aggression." The dispute is whether describing the fighting as not a war is an accurate and acceptable characterization.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
CNN's rush transcript of The Source with Kaitlan Collins for September 3, 2026, aired at 9 p.m. ET. After clips of Vance's briefing answer and of Trump saying "Now we have a war with Iran," Collins asks Suozzi whether it matters if the administration describes the fighting as a war. CNN marks the transcript as possibly not in its final form.
Before the quotation
Suozzi spoke on the evening of September 3, 2026, after CNN aired Vance's briefing answer and a clip of Trump saying on British television, "Now we have a war with Iran." Collins asked whether it matters if the administration describes the fighting as a war.
After the quotation
Suozzi went on to say that Republicans have not done enough to hold the president accountable. He answered "No" when Collins asked whether he thought the war would be over by the midterm elections.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Vance's statement that he would not call the fighting a war. Suozzi repeats the phrase, calls it "just irresponsible", and sets it against "Not semantics" and "life and death" issues. He denounces the statement rather than only offering a different label, so condemns fits better than challenges the characterization.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- JD Vance
More from this case
Read the full caseTrump says America did not start a war with Iran
“America did not start a war with Iran. Iran has been waging war on America since 1979. ... We lost 18 beautiful souls ... When this conflict is over, and it will be soon”Read statement
Trump says he does not know if the Iran fighting is still a war
“I don't know if you even call it a war because we haven't been doing any fighting for months.”Read statement
Vance says the U.S. has been involved in Iran in some form and will not let it become a forever war
“We’ve been involved in Iran in some form for seven months. The United States has been dealing with Iran for 47 years, and I promise you that Donald Trump is not going to let Iran become a forever war.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Suozzi says on CNN that Vance's "I wouldn't call it a war" is "just irresponsible"
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/2763-asked-by-cnn-s-kaitlan-collins-whether-it
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Suozzi says on CNN that Vance's "I wouldn't call it a war" is "just irresponsible"". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2763-asked-by-cnn-s-kaitlan-collins-whether-it