President Donald Trump rejected the need for a deal with Iran, citing U.S. financial and strategic leverage and called for Vice President JD Vance to focus on alleged corruption and crime in Democratic-led states.
Trump made the remarks on Truth Social, saying he asked Vance to give his “complete and total attention” to alleged corruption and crime in Democrat-run cities and states. He identified Minnesota, California and Illinois as examples, claiming billions of dollars are stolen monthly. Trump said addressing the alleged activity could quickly balance the federal budget.
Trump also wrote, “We don’t need a deal with Iran,” arguing that the United States possesses hundreds of billions of dollars and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Those days have long since passed. We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!,” he wrote.
Vance Weighs Direct Talks With Iran
Trump’s latest direction comes amid a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday that Vance is emerging as the lead U.S. negotiator with Iran, and was weighing face-to-face talks with a top Iranian security official. Vance reportedly sent a letter in October seeking a meeting with Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei, though any face-to-face discussions remain preliminary and no date has been set. The effort aims to end a war that is weighing on Republicans politically.
Vance publicly blamed the war for Republicans’ poor midterm performance, setting himself apart within the White House. Trump said he understood Vance’s position but maintained he would make the same decision again. On the other hand, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Trump’s decision and slammed Iran for presenting ‘outrageous and ridiculous‘ demands to end the war.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Rezaei warned that the nation would target U.S. military bases across the Middle East and Europe if Washington launches another round of strikes against Tehran. Rezaei said no base involved in an attack on Iran would be beyond the reach of Iranian strikes.
At the time of writing, Brent crude oil futures dated January 2027 rose 0.54% to trade at $96.34 per barrel, while the WTI crude oil futures dated December 2026 were trading 0.12% lower at $88.63 per barrel.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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