Vice President JD Vance [EPA Yonhap News]

U.S. Vice President JD Vance claimed on the 13th (local time) that progress is being made in the peace talks with Iran.

At a press conference held at the White House, Vice President Vance stated regarding the peace talks with Iran, "I believe we are making progress. The fundamental issue is whether we can create enough progress to satisfy President Donald Trump's red line."

He further explained, "The red line is very simple," emphasizing the need to establish various mechanisms to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Vice President Vance's assertion of progress contrasts with President Trump's statements. Before departing for China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump criticized Iran's revised peace proposal, using terms like "unacceptable" and "garbage."

Vice President Vance also acknowledged some concerns about inflation stemming from the Iran conflict. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced survey results on the same day showing that the year-over-year increase in U.S. producer prices in April (6.0%) was the largest since December 2022.

He commented, "The inflation figures last month were not good," adding, "There is a lot of work to do to bring prosperity that Americans deserve."

He emphasized that President Trump is very well aware of this issue. Regarding President Trump's remarks that he does not consider the financial situation of Americans, Vance argued that the reports were inaccurate.

The previous day, when asked if the financial situation of Americans was a factor in pursuing a deal with Iran, President Trump responded, "Not at all. The only thing that matters is that they (Iran) cannot have nuclear weapons. I don't think about the financial situation of Americans," a response that sparked controversy.

When asked about the potential rivalry for the next presidential election with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President Vance humorously remarked, "I don't think it's presidential of the United States to have a televised competition to select a successor."

Laughter erupted at the press conference, as the remark was a jab at NBC's reality show 'The Apprentice,' where President Trump served as the host and pitted contestants against each other.

Vice President Vance referred to Secretary of State Rubio as a dear friend and evaded a direct answer, stating that now is the time to focus on the vice presidency.

During the press conference, Vice President Vance announced a hold on a $1.3 billion (1.93 trillion won) payment to California, citing ongoing Medicaid fund fraud.

Medicaid is a healthcare insurance program for millions of low-income individuals and pregnant women. By targeting California, a state with strong Democratic support, he framed it as preventing taxpayer money from flowing to those receiving benefits fraudulently.

Vice President Vance pressured states, stating that if investigations into fraudulent claims are not properly conducted, the federal government could not only cease support for state enforcement agencies but also cut off Medicaid-related funding.