President Donald Trump has offered mixed messages on his approach to the war with Iran, first writing on social media that the US does not "need a deal" with Tehran and pulling Vice President JD Vance away from the talks, then later conceding it would be a "defeat" to walk away with Iran's current regime still in power.
In a morning Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump said he was directing Vance, who had been tasked with leading negotiations between the US and Iran, "to focus his complete and total attention" on rooting out corruption and crime in Democratic states and cities.
"We don't need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed!" Trump posted. "We've got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we've got their Strait!"
The comments came as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran have accelerated in recent days, with both countries quietly negotiating a sensitive agreement that could avert a return to all-out war and open the door to broader talks. Vance had been at the centre of that effort, and only on Wednesday it was reported that he was weighing direct talks with Iran's top security chief in a push to end the war.
Then, in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt later on Thursday, Trump took a more bellicose posture. He indicated he would not hesitate to resume military strikes in Iran if necessary, saying "it's possible I would do it right now", while at the same time indicating that he did not see a reason for military force.
"We control the Gulf in terms of the Hormuz Strait. We control it, totally control it," Trump said. "But the answer is, if I saw things going the other way, I would, I would do that. And it's possible I would do it right now."
And during the same interview, Trump said he would "absolutely" consider it "a defeat" if he left the White House and the "Iran crazies" were still in power — a striking admission that, for all his talk of not needing a deal, he sees the survival of Iran's leadership as a measure of failure.
The war began on February 28, when American and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iran, and it is now in its tenth week, with a near-total internet shutdown affecting more than 90 million Iranians still in force. A ceasefire delivered a suspension in large-scale fighting about a month ago, but both sides have been rebuilding their capabilities and exchanging proposals through intermediaries, including Pakistan.
Iran's foreign ministry confirmed on Monday that Tehran was reviewing the latest text from Washington, relayed through Pakistan, but urged a more "realistic" approach from Trump. Iranian officials have said they will speak about "nothing except for the full end to the war at this stage".
Trump has shown no recent signs he is in the mood to escalate the conflict and target another level of Iranian leaders. He told CBS' "60 Minutes" on Sunday that he was "not looking" to escalate the war, and on Monday he told reporters: "At this point, it won't be necessary, taking the military action."
Whether Thursday's posts mark a genuine turn away from diplomacy or simply a public display of leverage remains unclear. What is clear is that the man who was leading the negotiations has been told to look elsewhere, and that the president who says he does not need a deal is also the one who says walking away would be a defeat.
