Trump tells Vance to turn his focus away from Iran, saying US doesn't need a deal

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US President Donald Trump on Thursday offered mixed messages on his approach to the war with Iran, first writing on social media that the US doesn't 'need a deal' with Tehran and pulling Vice President JD Vance away from the talks to focus elsewhere, then later conceding it would be a 'defeat' to walk away with Iran's current regime.

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump on Thursday offered mixed messages on his approach to the war with Iran, first writing on social media that the US doesn’t “need a deal” with Tehran and pulling Vice President JD Vance away from the talks to focus elsewhere, then later conceding it would be a “defeat” to walk away with Iran’s current regime.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he was directing Vance, who had been tasked with leading negotiations between the US and Iran, “to focus his complete and total attention” on rooting out corruption and crime in Democratic-run states and cities.

Trump's directive came a day after the Wall Street Journal reported that Vance was considering face-to-face peace talks with an Iranian security official and a week after the ​vice president blamed the costly war with Iran for Republicans' midterm elections drubbing.

“We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!”

The comments came as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran have accelerated in recent days, with both countries quietly negotiating a sensitive agreement that could avert a return to all-out war and open the door to broader talks.

It’s also politically convenient for Vance, who has had little success in leading the negotiations and recently publicly blamed the war for Republicans’ catastrophic midterm losses — a move many interpreted as a way to distance himself from the conflict as he considers whether to mount a 2028 presidential run.

Trump, for his part, has said he agrees with Vance that the war is to blame for Republicans’ losses. But he has indicated his vice president should have clarified that the effort was nonetheless worth it.

“He should have made one other statement: ‘If you had it to do again, would you do it again? The answer is yes,’” Trump said.

Then, in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt later…

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