Over the past three years, I have been honored to meet former Vice President Mike Pence on two separate occasions. The first time I met the former Vice President was at the Union League Club in NYC back in March of 2023, when I thanked him for his deep support for the Nation of Israel. He thanked me for the kind words and called me “a true treasure and a blessing.” Whether it was during his time as Governor of Indiana or during his time as Vice President under the first Trump Administration, former Vice President Mike Pence has always maintained an unwavering, deeply rooted stance of total support for Israel, viewing the country as America’s most cherished ally.
His position is characterized by an absolute commitment to providing material and military assistance, which he frames as a moral necessity rather than charity. Pence’s support is primarily driven by his personal faith as an evangelical Christian. He frequently cites Biblical covenants, particularly Genesis, which states “I will Bless those who Bless you…”, viewing the existence and protection of Israel as a fulfillment of divine promise. He consistently argues that Israel’s fight is America’s fight, asserting that both nations are uniquely bonded by a shared commitment to liberty over tyranny. Over the past year, former Vice President Pence has strongly advocated for full U.S. material and military backing to ensure Israel can restore deterrence against regional adversaries. He has defended Israel’s right to launch preemptive strikes against threat actors like Iran and believes with full conviction that Israel’s war is America’s war.
When I look at the unwavering support and commitment that former Vice President Pence has shown (both during his time as Vice President and his time as former VP), it is in direct contrast to the words of current Vice President JD Vance. In recent days, Vice President JD Vance has delivered an extraordinary public rebuke to Israeli leadership, warning critics within the Israeli government to stop attacking the Trump administration over its newly signed peace agreement with Iran. Vance explicitly reminded the Israeli government that Donald Trump is “the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” adding that it is a mistake to “attack the only powerful ally”. Vance cautioned Israeli ministers that they cannot afford to alienate their primary superpower backing, stating: “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
Directing his comments at members of the Israeli Parliament—who insist on keeping troops in Lebanon—Vance stated: “You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.” These war of words in recent days should be of concern to all supporters of Israel as they are sharp, directed and lack the true foundation of what makes the US/Israel alliance so important to both sides of the strategic partnership. Throughout history, Israel has served as a democratic, reliable anchor in a volatile region. By confronting shared adversaries like Iran and various militant networks, Israel has helped safeguard American interests and regional stability.
I believe that this core concept was and is firmly understood by former Vice President Pence, whom I reunited with for a second time in June of 2024 (less than a year after the October 7th attacks). Following the October 7th attacks, Pence toured hard-hit Israeli areas like Sderot and has continuously insisted that there can be no peace until Hamas is entirely destroyed. Throughout his career and during his time in the Trump administration, Pence vehemently opposed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), favoring strict economic and military pressure to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Pence was a prominent champion of anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) legislation and strongly supported removing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council over its anti-Israel bias. Lastly, as Vice President, he was a key internal architect behind the historic shift to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the U.S. Embassy.
During my second meeting with the former Vice President, we met at a conference supporting Israel in NYC, in which the former Vice President met with the families of the hostages and various members of the Israeli Government. When I reunited with him, he remembered our first meeting, in which I gave him a yellow Pin of the Hostages that he kept and wore in solidarity with both the families of the Hostages and Israel. It was an emotional and sentimental meeting, in which the former Vice President thanked me, placed his finger on my chest and said, “I thank you, Joseph and am counting on you.” After the meeting, we embraced, and I thanked former Vice President Pence for standing in solidarity with Israel both during the good times and the hard times and for always cherishing Israel as America’s greatest ally.
The writer received his undergraduate degree in business (cum laude) from Yeshiva University and his MBA with double distinction from Long Island University. He is a financial advisor who resides in New York City, and is involved in Israel based and Jewish advocacy organizations