In Trump's shadow, Vance becomes face of Iran deal

In Trump's shadow, Vance becomes face of Iran deal 23 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleDaniel BushWashington correspondentReutersVance said Trump was joking when he said he might blame himAs he defended the US-Iran deal at the White House press briefing on Thursday, Vice-President JD Vance brushed aside a question about whether President Donald Trump had positioned him as the "fall guy" for an agreement that is broadly unpopular with Republicans in Washington."I think the president was joking," Vance said, referring to Trump's comment the previous day that he might blame the vice-president if the deal collapses. Vance has spent the week defending the memorandum of understanding with Iran. Yet he was often contradicted or overshadowed by Trump - and his uncertainty about the logistics of a signing ceremony he was planning to attend in Switzerland with Iranian leaders only further underscored his apparent lack of control over a defining issue of his vice-presidency.Late Thursday, the White House announced that Vance would ultimately not be travelling for the ceremony, at least for now.Despite all the challenges, Vance has still delivered a forceful defence of the deal. He also delivered a blunt rebuke of Israel's response to the agreement, going further in his criticisms than anything Trump has said in recent days.The timing is awkward for Vance, who just days ago published a memoir that intensified speculation about a possible presidential run in 2028. It will be hard for him to sell this interim deal to a party that is divided between anti-interventionist Maga supporters who opposed the war from the start, and conservative Iran hawks who believe the White House has ultimately capitulated to Tehran.Watch: What the US and Iran get out of Trump's deal to end warOther senior administration officials, meanwhile, are not facing quite the same pressures as Vance when it comes to Iran.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a pot...