President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States should no longer seek a deal with Iran, directing Vice President JD Vance to turn his attention instead to corruption and crime in Democratic cities and states. In a Truth Social post he wrote, "We don't need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed," adding, "We've got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!" The Strait refers to the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint in the ongoing U.S.-Iran war.

Oil climbed after the announcement, erasing earlier losses, as the conflict that has roiled Middle East supplies remains unresolved. Stock futures declined following Trump's post.S1S2

The announcement comes just over a week after Republicans suffered huge losses in the midterm elections. Vance and other Republicans had blamed those losses on the Iran war, which the U.S. and Israel started in late February. In the weeks before Election Day, Trump repeatedly suggested the U.S. could resume military operations in the region, though those operations have largely subsided into a testy stalemate.S1

The move comes as Vance, who has led diplomatic efforts with Iran in prior months, was reportedly considering face-to-face talks with a top Iranian security official, according to The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. Trump's post signals a shift away from that diplomatic track.S1