Trump says US doesn't need a deal with Iran, shifts focus to alleged Democratic 'corruption'.

Donald Trump is drawing a line in the sand with Iran, saying the United States has no reason to negotiate, even as the conflict remains unresolved. And on Thursday, he put that position in writing, posting to Truth Social, We don't need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed. Trump then directed his vice president, J.D. Vance, to shift his attention to alleged corruption in Democratic-run cities and states. But it's a remarkable pivot just days after Vance blamed the Iran war for Republican losses in the midterms and after he had advocated a diplomatic exit. Trump says America has no need to negotiate, but Iran is still threatening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and says the waterway will never return to its pre-war status. The situation is substantially worse than it was before the attack. The Straits of Hormuz will continue to be a sticking point. They will continue to be a card that the Iranian government has that it can use at any time. That leaves a much bigger question about what the war has actually delivered for the U.S. The administration's rationale has been shifting from destroying Iran's nuclear and missile programs to weakening its military to talk of regime change. U.S. strikes have damaged Iran's military capabilities, but its nuclear program remains unresolved and the Strait is still a flashpoint. It looks like we didn't do due diligence in deciding to pursue a war of opportunity that actually still went substantially worse. than this administration understood that it could turn out For Donald Trump, the challenge is not just about how to end the fight, but how to define an outcome that justifies the cost of getting there. Because even if he walks away, it doesn't mean that the problems simply disappear. Reggie Cicchini, Global News, Washington.