Trump says US does not need Iran deal, directs Vance to focus on domestic corruption

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US does not need a deal with Iran and directed Vice President JD Vance, who has played a role in efforts to resolve the war, to focus "his complete and total attention" on alleged crime and corruption in Democratic-run cities and states. Trump's directive came a day after the Wall Street Journal reported that Vance was considering face-to-face peace talks with a hard-line Iranian security official and a week after the vice president blamed the costly war with Iran for Republicans' midterm elections drubbing. "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 social media, referring to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump had suggested in recent weeks that Iran would be more willing to strike a deal in the eight-month conflict after the US elections, but his administration this week signaled it believes its blockade and economic sanctions against Iran are working, meaning neither a military escalation nor diplomacy is