'If It Works, I Take Credit; If It Fails, I'll Blame Vance': Trump's Quip On Iran Deal

Last Updated:June 19, 2026, 12:22 IST

The vice president has argued that the deal gives Tehran incentives to comply while preserving US leverage if Iran violates its commitments.

US-Iran Peace Deal: US President Donald Trump jokingly suggested that he will blame Vice President JD Vance if the preliminary deal with Iran falls through.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump laughed off a question about whether Vance would take responsibility if the agreement failed.

“If it works out, I’m going to take the credit. If it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming JD," Trump said, adding, “You better be careful, JD. He’s going to turn his plane around and get the hell out of here."

Vance Becomes Face Of Iran Deal

In recent days, Vance has led a media blitz promoting the agreement as the best chance to end the war and prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear capabilities.

The vice president has argued that the deal gives Tehran incentives to comply while preserving US leverage if Iran violates its commitments.

“People say the Iranians will never change their behavior. Well, maybe that’s true, and if so they don’t get any of the benefits of the bargain. But isn’t it worth trying?" Vance said during a briefing on Thursday.

Vance was also expected to play a prominent role in follow-up talks with Iranian officials, although a planned trip to Switzerland was postponed after negotiations hit logistical hurdles.

Deal Faces Criticism From Republicans

The agreement has drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republican lawmakers, who argue that it offers significant concessions to Iran without securing firm commitments on its nuclear programme.

According to CNN, the framework could eventually allow Iran access to a development fund worth up to $300 billion if it complies with future obligations. Critics have questioned whether the arrangement gives away too much in return for limited guarantees.

Several Republican figures have publicly attacked the deal, with some describing it as a major foreign policy mistake.

The criticism has increasingly focused on Vance, a long-time sceptic of foreign military interventions who became a key advocate for negotiations with Tehran.

Trump Lowers Expectations

Even as he defended the diplomatic effort, Trump cautioned that the agreement remains preliminary and warned that military action remains an option if Iran fails to comply.

“If they don’t honor the agreement, we’ll probably go back to bombing them until they honor it," Trump said.

The president also appeared to lower expectations about the durability of the deal, noting that some understandings between Washington and Tehran had not yet been formally written into the agreement.

Despite the criticism, White House officials have maintained that the deal offers the best opportunity to avoid a prolonged conflict and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

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Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre...Read More

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