JD Vance’s Middle East Adviser Steps Down

(Photo Credit: The Megyn Kelly Show)

Vice President JD Vance’s special adviser on the Middle East, Wesam H. Hassanein, has resigned from his role and taken a position with Continental Strategy, a lobbying firm that is focused on a number of government agencies.

Bloomberg Government reported Hassanein’s exit from Vance’s team on Monday. His departure comes as Operation Epic Fury enters its fourth week and as questions loom about how enthusiastic Vance has been about the operation, with Politico reporting earlier this month that the vice president was “skeptical” about military strikes.

The report added:

Vance, who has long questioned U.S. intervention abroad, has publicly defended Trump’s Iran operation. But White House officials revealed that the vice president made his opposition known in the leadup, pulling the curtain open after months of speculation about Vance being far more tepid about military action than Trump.

As Politico mentioned, Vance has publicly backed Trump and the mission. He told Fox News host Jesse Watters that Trump has “clearly defined what he wants to accomplish” and there is “just no way” Trump will let the U.S. get into a multi-year conflict.

Vance shared a clip of that interview on X and added the following caption: “President Trump will not get the United States into a years-long conflict with no clear objective. Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. That is the goal of this operation and President Trump will see it through to completion.”

And last week, Vance accused RealClearPolitics reporter Philip Wegmann of trying to “drive a wedge” between himself and Trump on the war.

Hassanein told Bloomberg Government that his exit had nothing to do with Operation Epic Fury.

“I’m not leaving because I oppose the president’s decision on Iran – I’m 100% supportive of President Trump’s decision to deny Iran nuclear weapons,” he told the outlet. “We should have done what President Trump is doing years ago.”

He previously worked in the State Department before joining Vance’s team last year.

“Continental Strategy, founded by Carlos Trujillo, who was US Ambassador to the Organization of American States during President Donald Trump‘s first term, reported a 1,423% rise in federal lobbying revenue last year,” Bloomberg Government reported.

The firm touts its “extensive knowledge of agencies” like DHS and the Treasury Department on its website, saying it allows the firm to “navigate the D.C. landscape through our relationships and policy expertise.”

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