In a post on the platform Truth Social, Donald Trump stated that the United States no longer needs to strike a deal with Iran, asserting that Washington already holds Iranian financial assets and maintains control over a strategically vital strait. At the same time, the former president tasked Vice President-elect JD Vance with focusing on investigating corruption within municipalities and states governed by the Democratic Party.
In his message, Trump claimed that the U.S. possesses “hundreds of billions of dollars” in funds belonging to Iran, though he provided no documentation or sources to verify this figure.
Trump leveled particularly harsh criticism at California and Illinois, describing them as regions plagued by poor governance, high levels of corruption, and systemic issues; he alleged that billions of dollars are being siphoned off in these states every month.
The directive given to Vance aims to initiate audits and investigations in jurisdictions where Democrats hold power. This is not the first time Trump has leveled such accusations against the Democratic Party; they appear regularly in his public statements.
Issues concerning Iran have also been addressed by other members of the incoming U.S. administration; for instance, Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio dismissed Tehran’s demands for reparations—raised in the context of negotiations to resolve a military conflict—as “ridiculous.” The dialogue between Washington and Tehran regarding the nuclear program and regional security is ongoing, yet it has not yet resulted in any mutually acceptable agreements. Trump’s reference to “Iranian money” likely alludes to the issue of Tehran’s frozen financial assets—a topic that has been discussed on several occasions in previous years.
The move concerning Vance aligns with Trump’s broader rhetorical strategy, which focuses on publicly highlighting corruption within Democratic-led states. A recurring feature of such statements is the reliance on broad, generalized language, lacking detailed evidence or specific, concrete examples.
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