Trump Jokes He'll Blame Vance If Iran Deal Fails

President Trump said Wednesday that if the agreement to end the war with Iran fails, he would be happy to blame Vice President JD Vance.

'If the deal gets done, credit belongs to me. If it doesn't, I'll blame Vance,' Trump joked, after a reporter suggested sending the VP to sign the Iran deal in the coming days made Vance a scapegoat.

Trump made the remarks at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, as a senior US official read the text of the so-called Memorandum of Understanding with Iran during a conference call, while two Republican senators harshly criticized the deal.

The deal text demands Israel immediately cease military operations in Lebanon, and that Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz for at least 60 days without charging tolls.

The 14-clause memorandum includes a US-Iran agreement on how to handle Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

One official argued on the call that the US has no urgent need to enter Iran to retrieve the materials, because last summer's bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities was so successful that the materials are 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 government had said it would remove. Operation Midnight Hammer refers to the US strike on Iran's nuclear sites in June 2025.

Since launching the war on February 28, Trump has repeatedly argued the need to attack Iran again due to the threat of imminent nuclear weapons development. But the senior official's suggestion that the materials have been inaccessible since last year appeared to undercut Trump's argument.

In his video speech 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 overseas, and soon could reach the US homeland,' he said at the time.

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy posted on X that the deal is 'the worst foreign policy mistake in decades.'

'Iran's nuclear ambitions are not contained; they've tasted the benefits of threatening the Strait of Hormuz and will do it again,' Cassidy said. 'Now, under this deal, Iran can build new infrastructure. Before the war, the strait was open, Iran was crushed by sanctions, and 13 servicemen were alive. Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have spent billions more on gas, sanctions will be lifted, and bombing has stopped.'

North Carolina Republican Senator Tom Tillis 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 remark that he would prefer Vance to attend the signing ceremony came at the end of a press conference. He gave the final question to Fox News' Peter Doocy, who noted he was already in Europe.

Doocy asked: 'Why not stay to sign the Iran peace deal?'

Trump replied: 'I might.' But he implied he wouldn't.

'It's a memorandum of understanding,' Trump said. 'It's very important, but probably not the kind of document I should sign.'

Doocy continued: 'There's a sense that sending the VP—if the deal works, it looks like a genius move.'

'If it fails, it's the VP's fault?' Doocy asked.

Trump answered: 'I like that idea.'

'That's right, if it works, credit 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. Yeah, I like that idea. I think it's a good idea,' the president said.

Full Text of the Memorandum of Understanding

Full Text of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran Islamabad

A senior US official read the agreement text to reporters during a background conference call on Wednesday:

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 and its allies in this war, by signing this Memorandum of Understanding, declare an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and commit from now on not to launch 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 the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

2. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and refrain from 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 Memorandum of Understanding, the United States will immediately begin to lift the naval blockade and any interference or obstacles against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and completely end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, vessel traffic volume will be proportional to the restored pre-war traffic volume of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 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 Memorandum of Understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make every effort to arrange for the safe passage of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, without charging any fees for the first 60 days. Commercial vessel traffic will begin immediately, and given the need for the Islamic Republic of Iran to remove technical and military obstacles and clear mines, it 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 along 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 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, with a value of at least $300 billion. The implementation mechanism for this plan will be finalized within 60 days as part of the final agreement. All necessary licenses, waivers, 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, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, including primary and secondary sanctions. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States recognize the extreme importance of the above issue of sanctions termination and express their intention to resolve 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 disposition of enriched material stockpiles through a mechanism to be jointly agreed, which will follow the timeline in paragraph 7, with the minimum method being on-site dilution under IAEA supervision. Both sides also agree to discuss uranium enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework agreed in the final agreement. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran recognize the extreme importance of the above nuclear issues and express their intention to resolve them immediately in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.

9. Until the final agreement is reached, 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, from the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding until sanctions are lifted, the US Treasury will issue exemptions for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, as well as all related services, including banking transactions, insurance, and shipping.

11. The United States commits to making fully available the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, 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, shall 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 Memorandum of Understanding and future compliance with the final agreement.

13. After the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding and provided that the measures in paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11 have begun implementation and continue to be executed, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin negotiations on the final agreement regarding the remaining paragraphs.

14. The final agreement will be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution.