Vice President Vance is set to take questions from reporters in the White House briefing room on Thursday, following the remote signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran. The appearance will be his second at the podium since press secretary Karoline Leavitt went on maternity leave earlier this year.
The preliminary agreement, which Vance has promoted heavily during a media tour tied to his new memoir Communion, was signed remotely by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday. Vance had originally been scheduled to attend a formal ceremony in Lucerne, Switzerland, but the signing was conducted virtually instead.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Vance is still expected to travel to Switzerland for formal talks. The administration has positioned him as the public face of the negotiations since April, when he led the U.S. delegation to talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad.
Trump, speaking at the Group of Seven summit on Wednesday, made light of the stakes involved. “If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD,” Trump joked. “You better be careful, JD. He’s going to turn his plane around and get the hell out of here.”
The MOU signing comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Hezbollah and Israel clashing over the secret deal before the Geneva signing. The agreement has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and analysts alike, who question its terms and transparency. Vance has cited diplomatic hurdles delaying the release of the full text of the MOU.
Vance’s media blitz has not been without controversy. He recently sparred with hosts on The View over immigration enforcement fallout and faced tough questions on the same show regarding the erasure of Black history. The vice president also received unexpected praise from co-host Joy Behar, who hinted at a potential 2028 showdown with Gavin Newsom.
Thursday’s briefing is expected to focus heavily on the details of the Iran deal, the administration’s strategy for follow-up talks, and the domestic political implications. With Trump’s joke hanging in the air, Vance will need to navigate carefully as he defends the agreement and his role in securing it.
