Vice President JD Vance dismissed any suggestion that President Trump would make him the fall guy if the Iran nuclear deal unravels, telling reporters he is “not at all concerned” about being scapegoated.
“No, not at all,” Vance said during a White House press briefing when asked about Trump’s recent comments. He added, “I think the president was joking as he often does.”
Trump, speaking at the G7 summit on Wednesday, quipped that if the deal succeeds, he will take credit, but if it fails, he will blame Vance. “If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD. You better be careful, JD. He’s going to turn his plane around and get the hell out of here,” Trump said.
Vance has emerged as the administration’s point person on Iran, conducting numerous media interviews to promote the deal, often tied to his book tour this week. He led the U.S. delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iranian officials in April and is scheduled to travel to Lucerne for the first round of negotiations following the signing of a preliminary memorandum of understanding. The U.S. and Iran now have a 60-day window to finalize a nuclear agreement.
The vice president’s remarks come amid growing skepticism from both Democrats and Republicans. Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice has blasted the Iran MOU as a “surrender document,” while GOP hawks are joining the criticism. Vance is expected to address the backlash in a scheduled press appearance on Thursday.
Trump signed the preliminary agreement in France on Wednesday, but the deal’s fate remains uncertain. Vance has argued that the Treasury can waive Iran oil sanctions without congressional approval under the new framework, a position that has drawn fire from lawmakers.
Despite the political headwinds, Vance remains publicly confident. “I think the president was joking,” he reiterated, deflecting questions about potential fallout. The vice president’s stance suggests the administration is bracing for a tough negotiation period ahead.
