Trump Steers Vance From Iran Toward Domestic Politics Amid 2028 Doubts
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States’ economic pressure campaign against Iran was proving effective.
Al Jazeera - Brigadier General Ali Reza Belaili, an adviser to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ aerospace force, said Iran’s supreme leader’s order to strike “enemies” without geographical limits would be carried out “at the appropriate time.”
The Washington Post - Vice President JD Vance was described as still potentially running for president in 2028 after Republicans’ midterm-election losses; detractors and supporters questioned his prospects.
CNN - Vance, then 42, had not decided whether to run in 2028. People close to him said he was weighing his political ambitions, the MAGA coalition’s divisions, and fatherhood; his fourth child was born that summer.
CNN - Possible Republican rivals included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Tucker Carlson had teased a possible third-party bid.
CNN - Vance supporters included American Principles Project president Terry Schilling; pollster Rich Baris said Vance was well positioned to rebuild the party’s coalition.
Al Jazeera - Trump said he had directed Vance, the US lead negotiator with Iran, to focus on alleged corruption and crime in Democratic-run cities and states.
ABC News - Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said the US had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to facilitate direct negotiations. Iran’s security council secretary, Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, traveled to Russia to brief Putin.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Trump said Saudi Arabia had asked him to leave the current situation in place “for a while”; he said Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also preferred the current approach. He said he would have launched further attacks without those requests.
Al Jazeera - Iran said it had attacked and destroyed a US military early-warning radar system in Bahrain, describing the strike as retaliation for an air attack on a telecommunications tower in Sirik, Iran.
Al Jazeera - Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Strait of Hormuz would “never return” to its prewar status, when commercial shipping passed freely without tolls.
Al Jazeera - Iran said at least 12 tankers had been hit in 12 days. US Central Command said at least 4,000 ships had crossed the strait with US military assistance, carrying more than 1.7 billion barrels of crude oil.
ABC News - Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had recovered to near prewar levels, but tankers were relying on US Navy escorts.
CNN - Vance wrote on X, “The reason we lost is the war,” attributing Republican midterm losses to the Iran war and arguing that losing the Senate for “the next 6 years” was a cost to consider.
CNN - Trump posted, “We don’t need a deal with Iran,” adding, “We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” He told Vance to focus “his complete and total attention” on domestic corruption and crime.
ABC News - Trump said the war was “militarily is effectively over.” He directed Vance away from Iran negotiations amid reports that Vance was weighing another round of direct talks.
CNN - Trump privately criticized Vance’s handling of his post, although a White House official said Trump was briefed beforehand and “did not have any issues with it.” Trump said Vance “was right, other than one thing.”
Al Jazeera - Iran said its ceasefire and Strait of Hormuz proposal contained seven conditions, including ending the US naval blockade, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen funds, ending fighting on all fronts, and formally ending the war.
WHERE:
CNN - Vance-aligned donors in the Rockbridge Network met in Houston to regroup while awaiting his decision.
ABC News - A tanker was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, northwest of Ras al-Khaimah; another was struck in the Persian Gulf.
WHEN:
Al Jazeera - Trump said the United States could destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure, bridges and manufacturing facilities within three days.
CNN - Vance was considering a possible 2028 presidential campaign; he had set no decision deadline.
ABC News - Democrats were due to take control of Congress in January.
WHY:
CNN - Vance’s deliberations centered partly on whether any Republican could win in the political climate under Trump and whether the Iran war would continue.
ABC News - Trump’s directive followed Republican midterm losses and reports of Democratic plans for congressional oversight of his business dealings.
HOW:
Al Jazeera - Ghalibaf said the Strait of Hormuz’s rules were governed by the laws of Iran and Oman, the two states whose territorial waters the strait runs through; he disputed that international waters rules applied there.
Al Jazeera - Iran communicated its proposal to Washington through Qatari mediators; Qalibaf said Iran was awaiting a US response.
ABC News - UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker struck in the Strait of Hormuz had its crew evacuated safely, with no casualties; people from the other tanker were taken ashore for medical assistance.
(UPDATED November 13, 2026 23:59 UTC)
Trump says allies urged restraint as he halted further attacks on Iran, calling the war effectively over. Iran says it struck a US radar in Bahrain, while tanker attacks threaten shipping through Hormuz. Trump redirected Vice President Vance from Iran talks toward domestic issues after Republicans’ midterm losses.
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(UPDATED November 13, 2026 19:01 UTC)
Trump redirected Vice President JD Vance from Iran talks toward domestic corruption and crime. Vance blamed the Iran war for Republican losses and is weighing a 2028 campaign. Iran proposed ceasefire conditions through Qatar, while tanker strikes disrupted shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.