Trump says he likes idea of blaming Vance if Iran deal doesn't work out
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he liked the idea of blaming Vice President JD Vance if a deal to end the war with Iran does not work out.
“If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump quipped, after a reporter suggested Trump was setting Vance up to take the fall by sending the vice president in his stead to sign an agreement with Iran in the coming days.
Trump’s comments to reporters at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, came as a senior U.S. official separately read the text of the so-called memorandum of understanding with Iran to reporters in a call.
The text calls for the immediate end to military actions by Israel in Lebanon and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without tolls by Iran for at least 60 days.
The MOU includes an agreement for the U.S. and Iran to resolve the question of how to dispose of the Islamic Republic’s stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.
One of the officials on the call, who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about the agreement that hadn’t been made public, argued there is no pressing need for the U.S. to enter Iran and retrieve that material because the U.S.’s bombing of nuclear sites last summer was so successful in burying it.
“Because of the success of Midnight Hammer, it is very, very much buried,” the official said of the nuclear material the administration has said it wants to remove. Operation Midnight Hammer was strikes the U.S. carried out in June 2025 targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.
Since he launched the war on Feb. 28, Trump has repeatedly argued the U.S. needed to attack Iran again because of the threat of the Islamic Republic imminently developing a nuclear weapon. The senior official’s comment suggesting that the material has not been accessible since last year seemed to undercut Trump’s argument.
Trump, in a video address when he announced the beginning of the war, said curtailing Iran’s nuclear ambitions was the reason he attacked.
“They attempted to rebuild their nuclear program and to continue developing the long range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland,” he said at the time.
US President Donald Trump gestures as he addresses the media during a closing press conference at the G7 summit, in Evian, eastern France, on June 17, 2026.
Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images
Trump’s comment about preferring Vance attend the signing ceremony came at the very end of a press conference with reporters, where he gave the final question to Fox News’ Peter Doocy, who noted he ws already in Europe.
Doocy asked, “Why not stick around for the signing ceremony with this Iran peace deal?”
Trump replied, “I might.”
But the president suggested he might not.
“This is a memorandum of understanding,” Trump said. “It’s very important, but it might not be the kind of document that I should be signing.”
Doocy then said, “There’s some element to this where you send the vice president, if it works out great, you look like a genius for sending him.”
“And if it doesn’t work out, it’s the vice president’s fault?” Doocy asked.
Trump answered: “I like that idea.”
“Sure, this way, if it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump said.
“You better be careful, JD. He’s going to turn his plane around and get the hell out of here. Yeah, I like that idea. I think it’s a good idea,” the president said.
Read the MOU below:
FULL ISLAMABAD MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
A senior U.S. official read the text of the agreement to reporters on Wednesday in a background call —
The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran has jointly agreed in good faith on such and such a date on the following:
The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing the MOU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.
- The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.
- The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in maximum 60 days extendable with mutual consent.
- Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.
- Upon the signing of this MOU, Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and demining by the Islamic Republic of Iran will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.
- The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least USD $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalized as part of a final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States of America.
- The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed upon schedule as part of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above mentioned and expressed their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.
- The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpile enriched material pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven with the minimum methodology to be down blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear needs, based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned and express their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.
- Pending the final deal, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program, and the United States of America will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.
- The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU that until the termination of sanctions, the U.S. Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.
- The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Upon the implementation of the MOU, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transfers shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.
- The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this MOU and the future compliance of the final deal.
- After signing this MOU, and subject to the beginning of the implementation of paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11 of this MOU, and the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.
- The final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution.
— CNBC’s Eamon Javers contributed to this article.
