Vice President JD Vance on Monday declined to say whether he endorses Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, marking a notable departure from President Donald Trump, who recently threw his full support behind the Israeli prime minister. Speaking in an interview aboard Air Force Two with journalist Mark Halperin, Vance explained his stance regarding foreign political involvement.
“I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterm,” Vance said. “I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.” When pressed further on the matter, the vice president clarified that his position was neutral rather than oppositional. “I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” he added.
This hands-off approach contrasts with Vance’s actions earlier this year, when he traveled to Budapest, Hungary, to support Trump-endorsed Viktor Orbán ahead of an election that the longtime Hungarian prime minister ultimately lost.
Vance’s hesitation also mirrors earlier reluctance from President Trump himself. Earlier this month, Trump told Time magazine that he was no longer involved in Israeli politics. However, that position shifted abruptly on Saturday when Trump posted a full-throated endorsement of Netanyahu on social media, describing him as a “Great Warrior Prime Minister.”
Trump’s public backing and Vance’s subsequent decline to follow suit come just days before Israel’s upcoming election. The political maneuvering coincides with high-level diplomatic and defense movements in the region. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth traveled to Israel on an unannounced trip, according to a U.S. official and two sources familiar with the itinerary.
During his visit, Hegseth held meetings on Monday evening with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, according to an Israeli source familiar with the details and a second source familiar with the discussions.
