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Foreign affairs

Vance blames war for losses; Trump defends decision

Reconcile the war review with the vice president's post

Iran Review now contains two assessments of the same decision. Operations still has no settlement to file beneath them.

Executive owner
Donald J. Trump / JD Vance / Iran Negotiations
Status
Vance blames war for losses; Trump defends decision
Due
No agreed settlement timetable
Paying for it
U.S. defense resources; households and businesses exposed to fuel costs

ACTIVITY

Updated
EO
Executive Office7:03 AM

The President moved Win war to Very soon.

DJT
Donald J. Trump7:05 AM

I know Winning, tremendous Practice! Victory Speech where I can reach it, please.

O
Operations7:12 AM

Mediators remained in contact. Operations requested an actual date.

DJT
Donald J. Trump7:14 AM

VERY SOON, I said Very Soon!!

E
Energy7:21 AM

Energy scheduled lower gasoline prices for after victory, with no delivery window.

DJT
Donald J. Trump7:23 AM

Obsessed with a Date, I give a Date, they tell the Other Side, now THEY have my Date..... why would I do that?? I like keeping a little something for myself. It's called NEGOTIATING!

O
OperationsOct 24 · 6:46 AM

The new remark supplies a possibility. Operations has not received a public timetable from it.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 24 · 6:52 AM

I can have options. That's why they're called MY options.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 24 · 6:59 AM

I say we can finish quickly, they ask how quickly. I say perhaps another operation, they ask how many operations. These people would have requested a seating chart for the Trojan Horse, ruined the entire thing before it got through the Gate. I know the story, very successful horse initially.

DD
Defense DeskOct 24 · 7:06 AM

The briefing will distinguish a rally remark from an announced military decision.

R
RecordsOct 24 · 7:13 AM

The earlier pre-election assurance remains in the chronology.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 24 · 7:19 AM

I want the fuel prices lower while everybody studies my Adjectives.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 24 · 7:25 AM

Very soon is still my preference. I'm not giving it a fixed address so the other side can visit.

DD
Diplomatic DeskOct 29 · 7:01 AM

Reporting describes a letter exploring talks. Trump described help with medical supplies.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 29 · 7:07 AM

I approved the contact. You can underline approved.

DD
Diplomatic DeskOct 29 · 7:15 AM

No agreement is recorded.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 29 · 7:20 AM

JD can write a letter, he's written a whole book, I think a letter is well within the equipment. But everybody reads the envelope and starts ordering a Peace Summit..... I haven't even seen what chairs they're imagining.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 29 · 7:26 AM

I want the people helped. Very simple sentence. Apparently needs a whole briefing.

P
ProtocolOct 29 · 7:33 AM

Summit arrangements require more than correspondence.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpOct 29 · 7:40 AM

Good. Leave the chairs where they are, I am not paying to rearrange a room for a paragraph.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 2 · 8:04 AM

I would take two days. Two days of being FINISHED.

DD
Diplomatic DeskNov 2 · 8:11 AM

The proposed duration applies to implementation after agreement.

O
OperationsNov 2 · 8:18 AM

No countdown has been started.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 2 · 8:26 AM

They compressed the plan, wonderful, I have people compressing my briefings all the time, sometimes they leave out the best part which is what I did. But if all the same disagreements fit on a smaller page then I have saved paper, I haven't necessarily saved a Week.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 2 · 8:33 AM

I need the agreeing part. Bring me THAT page.

DD
Diplomatic DeskNov 2 · 8:39 AM

The parties' conditions remain the relevant comparison.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 2 · 8:45 AM

Put them side by side so I can see the gap. Don't shrink the font and tell me we're closer.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 3 · 7:40 AM

I gave a short answer. They were expecting a whole aircraft carrier.

DD
Diplomatic DeskNov 3 · 7:44 AM

The answer has been entered with its date and the question asked.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 3 · 7:48 AM

I like a deal that gets finished, everybody knows I like that, but then the cameras want the other version, the big arrows and the dramatic music. I can say NO without commissioning a new theme song. Let the negotiating people negotiate for a minute.

O
OperationsNov 3 · 7:52 AM

No settlement has been entered as completed.

R
RecordsNov 3 · 7:56 AM

Earlier statements remain in the chronology.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 3 · 8:00 AM

I want the newest answer first. That's why we put dates on things.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 3 · 8:04 AM

And I am not signing the word 'forever' just because somebody found room for it in a headline.

EO
Executive OfficeNov 5 · 7:02 AM

The President's and Vice President's assessments have been retained separately.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 5 · 7:09 AM

I saw JD's post.

DD
Diplomatic DeskNov 5 · 7:16 AM

Neither statement supplies agreed settlement terms.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 5 · 7:23 AM

He writes a lot, JD, very capable writer, sometimes I would prefer the short version before the whole country gets the long version. I have a comments section inside my own Administration now. Tremendous engagement, apparently.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 5 · 7:30 AM

I still want the actual terms on my desk.

O
OperationsNov 5 · 7:37 AM

A political assessment has not been entered as a military instruction.

DJT
Donald J. TrumpNov 5 · 7:44 AM

Good. I don't want somebody launching a paragraph. We've got enough paragraphs in the air already.

SUGGESTED NEXT STEP

Keep the political assessment separate from an operational order or negotiated agreement.

PUBLIC RECORD

Speaking in the Oval Office on September 28, Trump said the U.S. would win the Iran war 'very soon' and that gas prices would fall afterward. He said U.S. officials had spoken with mediators, but announced no agreement. At an October 23 Florida rally, Trump raised the possibility of another military operation against Iran without elaborating. Earlier that day he weighed ending the war quickly against allowing it to wind down. Reuters noted that he had previously said there would be no attack before the midterms. The remarks did not establish a new operation, order or timetable. October 29 update: The Wall Street Journal, republished by To Vima October 29, reported that Vance wrote to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei to explore reviving negotiations, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter. Trump said October 28 that he approved Vance's contact and described its purpose as help with medical supplies, denying that he directed a resumption of peace talks. The report said discussions concerned a possible framework, not detailed peace terms. Vance's spokesman declined to discuss the talks; Iran's foreign-ministry spokesman said he had no information on the outreach. No agreement was established. November 2 update: Iran said November 2 that mediated contacts continue after its negotiators left Doha November 1 without a breakthrough. Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran's seven-step proposal was condensed for possible implementation within two days. Iran still requires its conditions to be fulfilled before nuclear talks. Trump rejected the earlier proposal in September. A shorter proposed timetable is not an accepted agreement. November 3 update: On November 2 Trump answered no when asked whether he was considering strikes on Iran after the midterms and said a deal could happen. Vance described encouraging conversations. Trump reiterated that Iran must not possess a nuclear weapon. Reuters characterized the remarks as raising doubts about renewed attacks; they did not establish a negotiated settlement or a permanent renunciation of force. November 5 update: On November 4 Vance blamed the Iran war for Republican election losses and questioned its cost. Trump acknowledged electoral harm but defended the war as necessary to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon and said he would not have acted differently. Reuters reported that renewed major operations remained under consideration, citing U.S. officials. The remarks do not announce new strikes or a peace agreement.

Reuters · 2026-09-28 ↗

Reuters · Possible further Iran operation · 2026-10-23 ↗

Reuters via ThePrint · Full report · 2026-10-24 ↗

The Wall Street Journal via To Vima · Vance outreach · 2026-10-29 ↗

IranWire · Trump's description of contact · 2026-10-29 ↗

Reuters · Doha talks and condensed Iranian proposal · 2026-11-02 ↗

Reuters via AOL · 2026-11-02 ↗

Reuters · 2026-11-04 ↗

Reuters via Daily Maverick · 2026-11-04 ↗

Reuters · 2026-11-04 ↗