Trump jokes about Iran deal: credit himself if it works, blame Vance if it fails
U.S. President Trump said Wednesday he would gladly blame Vice President JD Vance if a deal to end the war with Iran falls through.
"If the deal succeeds, the credit goes to me. If it doesn't, I'll blame Vance," Trump quipped after a journalist suggested that Trump sending his vice president to sign the Iran agreement in his place was making Vance a scapegoat.
Trump made the remarks to reporters at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, as a senior U.S. official separately read the text of the so-called memorandum of understanding with Iran to reporters in a conference call, and two Republican senators harshly criticized the deal.
The text demands an immediate halt to Israel's military operations in Lebanon, and that Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz for at least 60 days without imposing transit fees.
Among the 14 separate clauses in the memorandum of understanding is a U.S.-Iran agreement on how to dispose of the Islamic Republic of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
One official argued on the call that the U.S. currently has no urgent need to enter Iran to retrieve those materials, because last summer's U.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 have been buried very, very deep," the official said of the materials that the administration had said it would remove. Operation Midnight Hammer refers to the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025.
Since launching the war on February 28, Trump has repeatedly argued that the U.S. needed to attack Iran again because the Islamic Republic posed an imminent threat of developing a nuclear weapon. But the senior official's suggestion that the nuclear materials have been inaccessible since last year appeared to undercut Trump's argument.
In his video address announcing the start of the war, Trump said curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions was why he launched 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 American homeland," he said at the time.
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana posted on X that the deal was "the worst foreign policy mistake in decades."
"Iran's nuclear ambitions are not curbed. 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 entirely new infrastructure. Before the war, the Strait was open, Iran was crushed by sanctions, and 13 service members were alive. Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have spent billions more on gas, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped."
Republican Senator Thom 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 comment that he would rather have Vance attend the signing ceremony came at the end of the press conference, when 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 agreement?"
Trump replied: "I might." But Trump suggested he might not.
"It's a memorandum of understanding," Trump said. "It's very important, but it might not be the kind of document I should sign."
Doocy continued: "There's an implication that you're sending the vice president, and if the deal works out and it's great, it looks like a genius move for you to send him."
"If it doesn't work out, then it's the vice president's fault?" Doocy asked.
Trump answered: "I like that idea."
"That's right. If it works, credit goes to me. If it doesn't, I blame JD," Trump said.
"You better be careful, 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 U.S. official read the text of the agreement to reporters during a background conference call Wednesday —
The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran, acting in good faith, hereby reach 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 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 threats or use of force against each other, and ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. A final agreement will confirm the permanent end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the 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 agreement).
4. Upon signing this memorandum of understanding, the United States will immediately begin lifting the naval blockade and any interference or obstacles against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will completely end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the volume of vessel transits will be proportional to the restored pre-war transit 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 the final agreement.
5. Upon signing this memorandum of understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make its best efforts to arrange for the safe passage of commercial vessels between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, with no fees charged for the first 60 days only. Commercial vessel transits will begin immediately, and considering 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 along the Strait of Hormuz, in accordance with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of the coastal states, to determine the future management and maritime services of the Strait of Hormuz.
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, 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, including U.N. Security Council resolutions, International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors resolutions, and all U.S. unilateral sanctions (including primary and secondary sanctions), according to a timeline agreed upon in the final agreement. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States acknowledge the extreme importance of the above issue of terminating sanctions and express their intention to immediately address these issues 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 based on a mechanism to be mutually agreed upon, which, according to the timeline in paragraph 7, will at a minimum involve on-site dilution under IAEA supervision. The two sides also agree to discuss uranium enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to Iran's nuclear needs on a satisfactory basis to be agreed upon in the final agreement. The final agreement will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the extreme importance of the above nuclear issue and express their intention to immediately address these issues in negotiations to reach mutual agreement.
9. Pending 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 memorandum of understanding until the lifting of sanctions, the U.S. Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and their derivatives, as well as all related services (including banking transactions, insurance, shipping, 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 memorandum, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will jointly agree in negotiations on procedures for the release of such funds. Such funds, whether retained in their 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 signing this memorandum of understanding, and subject to the commencement and continued implementation of the measures in paragraphs 14, 5, 10, and 11, the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin negotiations on the final agreement regarding the other paragraphs only.
14. The final agreement will be endorsed by a binding U.N. Security Council resolution.
