LIVE: Vice President JD Vance holds White House press briefing

6/5/2026 7:48:07 PM	short term down	7 days later	-11.56%	+11.56%

JD Vance

The president's peace plan is already bearing fruit: 12.5 million barrels of oil went through the Strait of Hormuz last night (a high since the conflict began), oil prices are near pre-war levels, and gas prices have dropped below $4/gallon for the first time since the conflict.

Prices will keep falling due to low oil prices.

JD Vance

Iran's nuclear program is completely destroyed; their conventional military is destroyed; their capacity to threaten neighbors is largely gone.

This is true regardless of whether Iran complies with the rest of the deal.

JD Vance

The MOU is a win-win: if Iran doesn't change behavior, their military/nuclear program remains destroyed; if they do, they get transformative economic integration. The US gives zero dollars to Iran; any sanctions relief only happens after Iran performs.

The media misrepresents the deal as giving Iran $300 billion or $24 billion, but no money flows unless Iran verifiably changes behavior.

JD Vance

The US has all the cards; if Iran wants benefits, they must give us what is necessary. The Gulf Arab states support this deal because it weakens Iran, unlike the 2015 JCPOA which they hated.

The Gulf states know Iran best and have the most to lose.

JD Vance

The blockade was the effective choke point on Iranian oil, not sanctions. Lifting the blockade returns the situation to pre-conflict levels; it is not a new benefit to Iran.

Sanctions were ineffective at stopping oil sales; they only pushed Iran's financial system into shadow banking. Lifting sanctions allows the US to see where money moves.

JD Vance

No sanctions will come off unless Iran performs; every sanction can come back on if they backslide. It's a dial: good behavior gets economic relief, bad behavior turns it off.

This is the advantage of having leverage as the United States.

JD Vance

On Israel-Lebanon: The US expects Hezbollah not to fire at Israel and Israel not to go 'wild' in Lebanon. The president is frustrated when major explosions in civilian areas in Beirut occur right when a breakthrough is near.

The US wants a regional framework to cut off money to Hezbollah and ensure Lebanon's territorial sovereignty.

JD Vance

On frozen Iranian assets: The US is not releasing a single dollar until Iran performs (e.g., destroying enriched stockpile). Reports that Qatar released billions are false.

Most frozen funds are in the Gulf or Europe, not the US. The amount is north of $100-200 billion.

JD Vance

On ballistic missiles: Iran's ability to launch missiles has been substantially degraded (launchers and teams destroyed), even if some missile stockpile remains. The mission was not abandoned.

Gulf Arab allies and Israelis feel substantially safer from the Iranian missile threat than before.

JD Vance

On gas prices: The national average has come down about 65 cents/gallon; oil prices are near pre-conflict levels. Significant further relief at the pump is expected.

He declines to predict an exact price.

JD Vance

On the $300 billion fund: It would be funded by private and Arab world investment (e.g., UAE building a power plant), not US taxpayer money. This creates integration and leverage.

If Iran behaves, Gulf states want to invest; if not, the investment doesn't happen.

JD Vance

On critics: Have faith in President Trump; the deal is excellent for the American people. Many criticisms are based on fundamental untruths about the MOU.

The deal rewards good conduct and punishes bad conduct, which is what the US has been doing for three months.

JD Vance

On Israeli cabinet members attacking Trump: Trump is the only head of state sympathetic to Israel and the world superpower. Two-thirds of Israel's defensive weapons were built by American hands and paid for by US taxpayers.

Attacking the president of the United States is counterproductive for Israel.

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