US Vice President JD Vance said that he refuses to express support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, following US President Donald Trump’s public endorsement of the Prime Minister on Sunday.
In an interview Monday night with American journalist Mark Halperin, the vice president was asked whether he supports Netanyahu in the Israeli elections, to be held next week, in light of Trump’s endorsement the previous day. Vance said, “The president has the most influential endorsement in American or international political history,” adding, “I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterm… I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.”
Halperin then asked whether VP Vance deliberately avoids expressing support for Netanyahu or whether he avoids expressing opposition to him. In response, Vance said, “I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him.”
Vance’s remarks were made after, this past Sunday, President Trump issued a public statement of support for Prime Minister Netanyahu in the upcoming elections. In a lengthy post published on the Truth Social network, Trump wrote: “Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combating the Islamic Republic of Iran…”
However, some of Trump’s close advisers told the president not to publicly express support for Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, indicating that there is no consensus in the White House regarding Trump’s show of support for Netanyahu.
US VP JD Vance says Middle East policy cannot be ‘Subservient to Israel’