Vice President JD Vance said the United States “wins either way” regardless of whether a final nuclear agreement is reached with Iran, even as the shaky ceasefire between the two countries came under renewed strain from retaliatory military strikes over the weekend.
In an interview with HBO’s Bill Maher, Vance argued that because Iran’s nuclear program has been destroyed and the country is weaker, the United States’ position is secure regardless of whether a final deal is reached. “If we make the final deal, then great. 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 said.
Vance’s assessment contrasted with the situation on the ground. The shaky ceasefire between the United States and Iran is being increasingly tested, with more retaliatory strikes this weekend, The Guardian reported.
Vance pointed to one tangible metric of progress: the resumption of oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. “There’s a signal that there’s something real going on,” he said of the increased flow.
President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that the United States may be “forced to militarily complete the job” if Iran continues violations, The Guardian reported in a separate article. Trump also threatened to eliminate Iran if the U.S. is forced to resume major combat operations.