JD Vance is "On the Road again"

April 19, 2026

EDITED BY YIANNIS DAMELLOS

The President's right-hand man has been summoned once again to lead the second round of negotiations with Tehran on Monday in an effort to make a deal that will facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and possibly, if Israel SITS TIGHT, bring an end to the war. 

"We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL," President Trump said in a social media post on Sunday, without elaborating, even as he continued to threaten strikes on civilian infrastructure in the region. Trump accused Iran of violating a ceasefire and striking multiple European ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, Trump stated that “many” ships are headed to the U.S. “to load up.”

“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” Trump said in his classic populist tone, which fails to convince even a seal running away from a pack of sharks to jump on board his drowning raft.

“They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy, and if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran by other Presidents for the last 47 years,” he continued. “IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!”

Although international law scholars have previously warned Trump that strikes on civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime, Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Sunday appeared to defend the president’s threats. 

Casually, as MAGA supporters often do, he stated: “Look, the president’s looking for maximum leverage, maximum negotiation, maximum leverage in these negotiations,” Wright told CNN’s “State of the Union.” 

“A lot of their infrastructure supports only their war machine. Of course, a lot of it supports civilians as well,” he added. “But no, I’m not worried about that. Negotiations are going very well.”

Not really! Instead, negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have grown increasingly tense as a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues. Iran recently vowed to restrict the number of ships that can pass through the strait and mocked European Union pleas to reopen it.

Trump on Sunday called Iran’s announcement “strange,” saying the U.S. blockade already has the strait closed. 

“They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage; $500 million a day!” Trump stated.

Bottom line? The blockade will remain, and bombing will resume if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire expires this week. Peace talks in Islamabad last week, led in part by Vice President JD Vance, fell apart. But as the critical waterway remains closed, oil prices have skyrocketed, sometimes pushing $100 per barrel.

Vance is expected to be on the jet to Pakistan for continued negotiations on Monday, according to the White House. Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, will also attend the talks as always. Bibi will assist with the provocations...