LAS VEGAS (TNND) — Vice President JD Vance will privately address the Republican Jewish Coalition on Monday as some question his recent criticism of Israeli officials and his continued association with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.
Last month, Vance suggested some Israeli officials were trying to manipulate U.S. public opinion to prolong the war with Iran.
“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,” he told podcaster Joe Rogan.
Then in June, he sharply criticized members of Israel’s government for opposing Trump’s efforts to resolve the war with Iran.
“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,” Vance said.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House, he reportedly had a “frank and candid conversation” with Vance about the comments.
Vance has also faced scrutiny over his continued association with Carlson, who drew widespread criticism after hosting Nick Fuentes — a far-right figure known for antisemitic rhetoric — for a friendly podcast interview last year. While Vance has condemned antisemitism, he has resisted calls from some Jewish conservatives to publicly denounce Carlson.
The issue was a major point of tension at last year’s RJC gathering, where signs reading “Tucker is not MAGA” were displayed. The coalition’s summit has traditionally centered on support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, but it has increasingly grappled with divisions over antisemitism within conservative circles.