Washington: US Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election on Monday, a day after US President Donald Trump backed the Israeli leader.
“The president has the most influential endorsement in American or international political history,” Vance said during an interview with journalist Mark Halperin.
“I endorse American candidates, and that's where I'm focused on the midterms,” Vance said while travelling to campaign for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley of North Carolina. “So, I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections.”
Vance campaigned for a foreign leader last spring, supporting then-Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before the right-wing leader's party lost that country's parliamentary election.
Vance's decision to defer to Trump on Netanyahu comes at a sensitive time for Jewish Americans and the US alliance with Israel. Concerns about antisemitism have increased across the political spectrum ahead of the midterm elections.
Republicans have sought to portray Democrats, particularly Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, as hostile towards Jews and Israel, while dealing with internal divisions within their own party.
Vance has faced scepticism from Jewish Republicans about his commitment to Jewish Americans and the US alliance with Israel.
Last month, Vance spoke privately in Las Vegas to the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), a prominent Republican group that advocates a strong US relationship with Israel and opposes antisemitism.
Vance left a positive impression on his RJC audience but stopped short of disavowing influential conservative podcast host Tucker Carlson.
Vance has faced questions about his association with Carlson, a former Fox News host who faced backlash last year for interviewing antisemite Nick Fuentes on his podcast.
In June, Vance sharply criticised members of the Israeli government for opposing Trump's efforts to resolve the war with Iran.
In July, Vance said elements of the Israeli government had attempted to influence American public opinion to derail negotiations.
“There are some people within their system that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely,” Vance said during an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast.
