United States President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has directed Vice President JD Vance to focus exclusively on domestic anti-fraud initiatives rather than participating in negotiations with Tehran.
“We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed. We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The directive comes after Trump expressed support for military action against Iran during a U.S. Veterans Day event on Wednesday, an occasion that also saw his defence secretary draw public criticism over breaches of protocol.
“The bravery and skill of our amazing American warriors has absolutely been incredible,” Trump said in an address at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington.
“When this conflict is over, and it will be soon, the entire world will be a much safer and better place, more peaceful place, and a place without the kind of danger that we had to suffer.”
According to the latest Pentagon data, the conflict—which began on February 28 with joint US and Israeli strikes against Iran—has resulted in the deaths of 23 US service members and left hundreds of others wounded.
During his address, Trump maintained that Washington did not start the war, asserting instead that Tehran initiated the hostilities by “waging war on America since 1979”.
He underscored that American military operations are focused on stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Backstory…
Meanwhile, President Trump’s latest remarks comes just days after he declared on Sunday that he is highly unlikely to authorize strikes against Iran while diplomatic negotiations remain ongoing.
Speaking to CNN in a phone interview, Trump said, “It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement, the answer is, highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary.”
Trump noted that should hostilities resume, the U.S. has prepared a list of potential infrastructure targets, specifically citing 38 bridges that could be dismantled within an hour.
CNN’s report however did not disclose the specific questions posed to the president during the exchange.
Read Full Story: Trump Says Military Strikes Highly Unlikely if Progress Is Made
