Vice President JD Vance doubled down on the Trump administration's aggressive posture toward Iran, claiming the US holds a winning hand no matter how negotiations shake out. Speaking on HBO's Bill Maher show Friday, Vance laid out a stark either-or scenario for the conflict that has tested the bounds of a shaky ceasefire this weekend.
"If we make the final deal, then great," Vance said. "If we don't make the final deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They're still much weaker as a country, so my attitude is America wins either way."
The vice president also signaled optimism about oil flows through the strait of Hormuz, describing the increased traffic as a sign that substantive developments are underway.
Vance's remarks came hours before fresh military clashes erupted in the critical shipping corridor. The US military confirmed Saturday it had launched additional strikes against Iranian targets, including military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities. US Central Command described the action as a direct response to what it called continued Iranian aggression against commercial shipping.
President Trump reinforced the administration's hardline stance in a Truth Social post, warning that there may come a point when reasoned diplomacy ends. "There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," he wrote. "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist."
The escalating rhetoric reflects a pattern of mutual accusations between Washington and Tehran. The latest round of US strikes followed a drone attack on a cargo ship in the strait, which triggered the American response that prompted Saturday's Iranian counterstrike.
On the domestic front, the Trump administration moved forward with other appointments. Trump announced Saturday that he will nominate Lance Schroyer as the next director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Schroyer, who has more than 29 years in law enforcement, previously served as an Oklahoma State Trooper and US Marine. He succeeds David Venturella, who had been performing the director's duties.
In a separate setback for the White House, a federal appeals court unanimously rejected the Environmental Protection Agency's attempt to abandon a Biden-era rule restricting soot pollution. The three-judge panel's decision dealt a blow to the administration's broader deregulatory agenda and efforts to support coal energy.
Author James Rodriguez: "Vance's 'win either way' framing masks how much volatility still surrounds this standoff, and the weekend's fresh strikes suggest the ceasefire is more theater than actual restraint."
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