Trump says he likes idea of blaming Vance if Iran deal doesn't work out
US President Donald Trump, speaking at the close of the Évian G7 summit, said he likes the idea of blaming Vice President JD Vance if the framework agreement with Iran fails. Trump cast the remark as a joke, but Vance's increasingly visible role as the public face of the negotiations gave the comment added political weight. The White House team declined to elaborate.
According to CNBC, Trump made the remark at a press conference after the Évian summit, responding to questions about how durable the Iran framework would prove. "If it doesn't work out, I can always blame Vance, that's an idea I like," he said, before laughing it off.
Vance has emerged in recent weeks as the White House's primary public spokesperson on the Iran file. The 14-point framework was confirmed as electronically signed on Monday, but the absence of resumed ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fed critics' argument that the agreement has yet to translate into facts on the water.
The White House press secretary did not respond to a request for comment. Some Republican factions read Trump's remark as a warning aimed at Vance's 2028 presidential prospects. Democratic senators repeated their concern that the framework lacks verifiable inspection mechanisms.
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