Trump orders Vance to crack down on Democrats’ corruption, leaving Iran issue aside

US President Donald Trump has asked Vice President J.D. Vance to focus on tackling crime and corruption in Democratic-controlled cities, saying that curbing crime and corruption could save more money than any deal with Iran, Samaa TV Online reported. 

In a post on social media on Thursday (November 12), Trump said the US budget could be balanced quickly if large-scale criminal activity could be controlled. He also accused the Democratic leadership of being involved in corruption.

In the post, Trump also said, "We don't need a deal with Iran. That time has long passed. We have received hundreds of billions of dollars from them and we also have control of their waterways."    

Vance, who has been playing a key role in efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict with Iran, distanced himself from the Trump administration's stance on the Iran war after Republicans lost the midterm elections on Wednesday. Vance also questioned the justification for the huge cost of the war, blaming the Iran war for Republicans' defeat in the midterm elections.

Vance, who is being discussed as a possible Republican candidate in the 2028 presidential election, also said that the advice given earlier about ending the war was "proper advice."Since returning to the White House for a second term in January 2025, Trump has been targeting Democratic-run cities on various issues, particularly over immigration policy and alleged corruption.