Stay out: JD Vance opts out of endorsing Netanyahu as Israeli PM warns of future ‘hostile’ US president | Today’s news
US Vice President JD Vance refused to endorse the re-election of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, distancing himself from President Donald Trump’s recent public endorsement of the Israeli leader just days before Israel’s election. The comments come as Netanyahu warns that Israel could face a potentially “hostile” US president after Trump leaves office, underscoring uncertainty over the country’s long-term relationship with Washington.
In an interview with journalist Mark Halperin aboard Air Force Two on Monday, Vance said he would not interfere in Israeli electoral politics, despite Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu over the weekend.
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“I support American candidates and that’s what I’m focusing on in the midterms,” Vance said. “I am not involved in Israeli elections.”
Asked if he was opposed to supporting Netanyahu, Vance rejected both positions.
“I’m not against supporting him. I’m not supporting him. I’m not involved in the Israeli elections,” he said.
Vance refuses to endorse Netanyahu despite Trump’s endorsement
US President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu on Saturday, describing him as a “great war prime minister” in a social media post. The president has previously said he stays out of Israeli politics.
“I am no longer involved in (Israeli) politics,” Trump told Time earlier this month.
Vance’s refusal to endorse Netanyahu contrasts with the president’s position, although the vice president framed his decision as focusing on the US election rather than opposing the Israeli leader.
His stance comes despite his previous participation in elections in another country. Vance traveled to Budapest earlier this year to campaign for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who had Trump’s endorsement but subsequently lost the election.
The contrast has drawn attention as Netanyahu seeks to maintain close ties with the Trump administration while preparing for the political and security challenges Israel faces.
Netanyahu warns Israel could face ‘hostile’ US president
Netanyahu warned that Israel cannot assume that its relations with Washington will remain favorable indefinitely. On Sunday, as he laid out his security strategy for the coming years, he emphasized the limited time left in Trump’s current term.
“There are two more years with President Trump, and one of the questions in this election is who will work with Trump? Who will finish the rest of the work?” Netanyahu said.
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He also acknowledged the possibility that a future US administration could take a less accommodating approach to Israel.
“In these two years – and the two years after that – we have to do the best we can to act when things are good, even when things are bad,” he said.
Netanyahu said he was working to expand Israel’s international partnerships to prepare for the changing political circumstances in Washington.
“I am now working with many countries in our region and countries outside our region to create these alliances – for example with India and there are other countries,” he said.
The remarks suggest that Netanyahu’s strategy goes beyond maintaining his relationship with Trump to building a partnership that could provide diplomatic support under the future US president.
Pete Hegseth visits Israel amid Iran military discussions
The political development coincided with an unannounced visit to Israel by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who met with Netanyahu on Monday, according to sources cited by Axios.
The meeting took place at the Ovda Air Base in southern Israel, where US refueling planes and fighter jets are based, the sources said. Hegseth also met American soldiers at the base.
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The visit came eight days before Israeli elections and amid discussions between Washington and Jerusalem about the possible resumption of major combat operations against Iran.
Hegseth later posted a picture of him visiting units serving under US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East and other parts of its area of responsibility.
The timing sets the visit against two overlapping events: Israel’s domestic political contest and the ongoing debate over its military posture toward Iran.
Israeli elections put emphasis on US ties and security strategy
Netanyahu’s warnings about a potentially less accommodating US administration underscore the importance of relations with Washington to Israel’s security planning. Trump’s endorsement offers public support ahead of the election, but Vance’s refusal to intervene shows that senior administration officials do not necessarily take the same approach to Israel policy.
The broader question is how Israel would manage its security priorities and diplomatic relations if the political balance in Washington shifts after a Trump presidency.
