Trump Says if Iran Deal Fails, He'll 'Blame Vance'
US President Trump said Wednesday that if the deal to end the war with Iran fails to materialize, he would gladly lay the blame on Vice President JD Vance.
"If the deal gets done, credit goes to me. If it doesn't, I'll blame Vance," Trump quipped, after a reporter suggested that sending the vice president to sign the Iran deal in his place in the coming days was setting Vance up as a scapegoat.
Trump made these remarks to reporters at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, as a senior US official separately read to reporters the text of a so-called memorandum of understanding reached with Iran during a conference call, while two Republican senators blasted the agreement.
The agreement text demands that Israel immediately cease military operations in Lebanon, and that Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within at least 60 days, without collecting tolls.
The memorandum, containing 14 separate clauses, includes a US-Iran agreement aimed at addressing how to dispose of the Islamic Republic's highly enriched uranium stockpile.
One of the officials argued on the call that the US currently had no urgent need to enter Iran to retrieve these materials, because last summer's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities was so successful that the materials were buried deep underground.
"Due to the success of 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' these nuclear materials are buried very, very deep," the official said of the materials the administration had stated it would remove. 'Operation Midnight Hammer' refers to the US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025.
Since launching the war on February 28, Trump has repeatedly argued that the US needs to attack Iran again because the Islamic Republic poses an imminent threat of developing nuclear weapons. But the senior official's suggestion that the nuclear materials have been inaccessible since last year seemed to undermine Trump's argument.
In his video address announcing the war, Trump said containing Iran's nuclear ambitions was his reason for the attack.
"They were trying to rebuild their nuclear program and continue developing long-range missiles that now threaten our dear friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and soon could reach the US homeland," he said at the time.
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana posted on X that the agreement was "the worst foreign policy mistake in decades."
"Iran's nuclear ambitions are not contained; they have tasted the benefit of threatening the Strait of Hormuz and will try again later," Cassidy said. "Now, under this agreement, Iran can build new infrastructure. Before the war, the strait was open, Iran was under heavy sanctions, and 13 service members were alive. Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have spent billions more on gas, sanctions will be lifted, and bombing has stopped."
Republican Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina told reporters on Capitol Hill: "Since the first kinetic strike, $100 billion has been spent. We lost two F-18s and several other aircraft. 13 dead. Several of our partners in the Middle East were attacked. 365 wounded."
"I need more than 14 clauses," Tillis said.
Trump's remarks about preferring to let Vance attend the signing ceremony came at the very end of the press conference, when he gave the last question to Fox News' Peter Doocy, who noted he was already in Europe.
Doocy asked: "Why not stay until this Iran peace agreement is signed?"
Trump replied: "I might." But he suggested he probably wouldn't.
"It's a memorandum of understanding," Trump said. "It's very important, but it's not necessarily the kind of document I should sign."
Doocy continued: "There's this element: you send the vice president, if the deal gets done and it's effective, sending him makes you seem brilliantly arranged."
"If it doesn't happen, then it's the vice president's fault?" Doocy asked.
Trump answered: "I like that idea."
"That's right, so if it works out, credit goes to me. If not, I blame JD," Trump said.
"You better watch out, JD. He'll turn the plane around and get the hell out of here. Yes, I like that idea. I think it's a good idea," the president said.
Full Text of Memorandum of Understanding
The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, acting in good faith, have reached the following agreement on a certain date:
1. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, along with its allies in this war, by signing this MOU, declare an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts (including Lebanon), and commit from now on not to initiate any war or military action against each other, avoid mutual threats or use of force, and ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final agreement will confirm the permanent end of war on all fronts (including Lebanon) and other provisions in this paragraph.
2. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and avoid interfering in each other's internal affairs.
3. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiate and reach a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days (extendable by mutual consent).
4. Upon signing this MOU, the United States will immediately begin to lift the naval blockade against the Islamic Republic of Iran and any interference or obstacles, and fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the volume of vessel passage will be proportional to the pre-war transit volume of the Islamic Republic of Iran being restored. The United States further commits to withdraw its forces from the vicinity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after reaching the final agreement.
5. Upon signing this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make its best efforts to arrange safe passage for commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with no fees charged for the first 60 days only. Commercial vessel passage will begin immediately, and, taking into account the need for Iran to clear technical and military obstacles and mines, will return to normal within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will engage in dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman and consult with other Persian Gulf states bordering the Strait of Hormuz to determine the future management and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of the strait's coastal states.
6. The United States commits, together with regional partners, to develop a clear, mutually agreed plan for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, amounting to at least $300 billion. The implementation mechanism for this plan will be finalized as part of the final agreement within 60 days. All necessary licenses, exemptions, and permits for related financial transactions will be issued by the United States.
7. The United States commits to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran according to the timeline agreed in the final agreement, including UN Security Council resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors resolutions, and all US unilateral sanctions (including primary and secondary sanctions). The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States recognize the extreme importance of the aforementioned termination of sanctions and indicate their intention to address these issues immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.
8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it will not acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposal of enriched material stockpiles through a mutually agreed mechanism, which, following the timeline in paragraph 7, will at a minimum involve on-site dilution under IAEA supervision. The two parties also agree to discuss uranium enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to Iran's nuclear needs on a satisfactory framework to be agreed in the final agreement. The final agreement will confirm this paragraph. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran recognize the extreme importance of the aforementioned nuclear issues and indicate their intention to address them immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.
9. Before reaching the final agreement, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status of its nuclear program, and the United States will not impose any new sanctions or deploy additional forces in the region.
10. The United States commits that, from the time of signing this MOU until sanctions are lifted, the US Treasury will grant exemptions for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, as well as all related services (including banking transactions, insurance, transportation, etc.).
11. The United States commits to make fully available the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After implementation of the MOU, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will jointly agree in negotiations on procedures for releasing these funds. Such funds, whether retained in original accounts or transferred, will be fully available for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States commits to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations for this purpose.
12. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to establish an implementation mechanism to oversee the successful implementation of this MOU and future compliance with the final agreement.
13. After signing this MOU, and provided that the measures in paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11 are initiated and continuously implemented, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin negotiations on a final agreement concerning only the other paragraphs.
14. The final agreement will be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution.
