Trump Orders Vance to Ignore Iran and Chase Democratic Corruption
The president told his vice president to leave the eight-month conflict behind and focus on fraud in blue states, a move that follows heavy Republican midterm losses.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
President Donald Trump has directed Vice President JD Vance to stop focusing on the war with Iran and instead target corruption in Democratic-controlled areas. The instruction came in a social media post on Thursday, marking a sharp pivot in the administration's public messaging just days after midterm elections.
The directive arrives after Republicans suffered sweeping losses in the November 3 vote. Vance had previously attributed the defeat to the war and its economic fallout. He served as the lead negotiator for a short truce during the eight-month conflict. In a post on X following the elections, Vance questioned whether losing the Senate for six years was a worthwhile cost for the military engagement.
“If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so,” Vance wrote. “Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.”
Trump dismissed the need for further negotiation with Tehran. “We don’t need a deal with Iran,” he wrote in his post. “Those days have long since passed. We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” The president earlier this week stated the war is militarily over. He told Vance to devote his complete and total attention to the anti-fraud campaign.
The timing coincides with reports that Vance was weighing new direct talks with senior Iranian officials. The White House press office emphasized that Trump sees no need to negotiate. The move also responds to Democratic promises of intense oversight over Trump's business dealings once they control Congress in January.
Maritime conditions in the region remain tense despite the political shift. Oil shipments from the Strait of Hormuz have recovered to near prewar levels. However, international tankers now rely on U.S. Navy escorts to exit the waterway. The U.S. military recently conducted limited strikes on Iranian air defenses. Attacks on ships have increased in recent days.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center reported that at least two tankers were struck by projectiles this week. One tanker was hit Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, northwest of Ras al-Khaimah. The crew evacuated safely with no casualties. A second tanker was struck by a projectile in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday. Multiple crew members were taken ashore for medical assistance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Group of Seven counterparts in Paris this week that he urged them to help protect ships from Iranian attacks. He acknowledged that the alliance made no headway on the issue. Meanwhile, a Saudi-led coalition continues fighting with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, which complicates transport through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the United States asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate direct negotiations. “It was the Americans who, during a visit to Moscow, spoke with Mr. Putin and asked him to speak with Iran,” Qalibaf told Al Jazeera. He stated that Iran has conveyed its positions to the U.S. side and is waiting for a response.
The White House did not directly confirm whether it asked Putin to mediate. Vance, who has long advocated for restraint in overseas military interventions, is considering a 2028 presidential run. Trump said in a Sunday interview that he may or may not get involved in endorsing a successor.
