Trump directs Vice President Vance to focus on domestic crime instead of Iran

On November 12, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he wants Vice President J.D. Vance to dedicate his full attention to combating crime and corruption in major American cities governed by Democrats. Trump asserted that addressing these domestic issues would yield significant budgetary savings, suggesting that the effort could balance the national budget more effectively than pursuing a new diplomatic agreement with Iran.

Trump further declared that the era of seeking a deal with Iran has passed, citing U.S. control over significant Iranian assets and influence over regional maritime straits. The president accused the Democratic leadership of widespread corruption, framing the shift in focus as a strategic economic priority. Prior to this announcement, Vice President Vance had been involved in recent high-level diplomatic contacts regarding Iran. The administration’s stated goal is to pivot resources toward internal enforcement actions rather than international negotiations, emphasizing that hundreds of billions of dollars are at stake in current and past fiscal dealings with Tehran.