By Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - 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.
Trump's comments marked a shift in tone after he had suggested in recent weeks that Iran would be more willing to strike a deal in the eight-month conflict after the US elections.
"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, the critical shipping route near Iran where the US military has been working to secure safe passage for international shipping.
Trump said he asked Vance to focus instead on a domestic issue the president previously put in his portfolio: leading an effort targeting alleged fraud in Democratic-run cities and states throughout the US.
"Our Budget could be quickly BALANCED with the correction of this large-scale criminal activity. CORRUPTION is in the Democrat Leadership’s blood!" Trump wrote on Thursday.
Vance's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance was considering meeting with a senior Iranian security official, a move that would have put Vance at the center of peace negotiations. Reuters has not confirmed the potential talks.
Vance, who is viewed as a leading contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, distanced himself from the war last week after Republicans' midterm election rout by Democrats.
The vice president blamed the costs of the Iran war in part for the party's losses. He also said an earlier recommendation to end the war was "sound advice."
Trump responded to Vance's position by defending the war as necessary to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, and Bo Erickson in Washington; Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Colleen Jenkins and Andrea Ricci )
