In a morning post on Truth Social, Trump instructed Vance, who had been overseeing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and pursue a broader resolution to the conflict, to redirect his full attention toward tackling alleged crime and corruption in Democratic-led states and cities.
“We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed! We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” Trump wrote, in an apparent reference to frozen Iranian assets and U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement comes amid discreet diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran aimed at preventing a renewed escalation that could lead to a wider military confrontation.
Vance’s reassignment also comes against the backdrop of growing political tensions surrounding the conflict. The vice president had recently linked Republican losses in the midterm elections to voter dissatisfaction with the war in Iran. Trump acknowledged that the conflict carried political consequences but continued to defend the military campaign as necessary to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Later in the day, speaking with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump adopted a more forceful tone toward Iran, warning that military action could resume if circumstances warranted it.
Although he maintained that immediate strikes were unnecessary because American forces had secured control of the strategic waterway, he left open the possibility of renewed attacks.
“We control the Gulf in terms of the Hormuz Strait. We control it, totally control it. But the answer is, if I saw things going the other way, I would do that. And it’s possible I would do it right now,” Trump said.
He also suggested that leaving office while Iran’s current leadership remained in power would amount to a personal and political defeat, underscoring his continued hard-line position toward Tehran despite the apparent retreat from diplomatic negotiations.
