Vice President JD Vance embraced claims that there were ties between the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the \u201chighest levels\u201d of Israeli intelligence, echoing conspiracy theories that have been a source of tension among conservatives.<\/p>\n
During an episode of his popular podcast, Joe Rogan said there was a widespread perception that Mr. Epstein\u2019s financial support and drive to influence thinking at American universities stemmed from links to Mossad, Israel\u2019s foreign intelligence service. Mr. Vance agreed that such a view exists, before asserting his own perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost people think he was Mossad,\u201d Mr. Rogan, a frequent promoter of conspiracy theories, said of Mr. Epstein in an episode of the \u201cThe Joe Rogan Experience\u201d released on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Mossad or C.I.A., or some other deep state, whether in America or Israel or another country,\u201d Mr. Vance replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe clearly had connections to the upper \u2014 the highest \u2014 levels of American intelligence,\u201d the vice president added. \u201cHe clearly had connections to the highest levels of Israeli intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Mr. Epstein did have ties to a top Israeli leader, the millions of files released<\/a> by the U.S. government related to Mr. Epstein have not turned up any conclusive proof that he was an intelligence agent or asset for Mossad, as Mr. Vance acknowledged.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve asked, Were there like, were there documents connecting Jeffrey Epstein directly to our intelligence agencies or anybody else\u2019s, and the answer is no,\u201d Mr. Vance said. \u201cBut if that shit existed, it wouldn\u2019t exist in 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n The comments, made during a nearly three-hour episode that covered a broad range of issues<\/a>, marked a striking embrace of conspiracy theories from an official in one of the highest perches of the U.S. government. Such claims have been promoted by some powerful conservative figures, including Tucker Carlson, a longtime ally of Mr. Vance. They\u2019ve also drawn accusations of antisemitism.<\/p>\n Former Representative Peter T. King, a New York Republican who strongly supports Israel, described Mr. Vance\u2019s remarks as a \u201cdog whistle\u201d to a wing of the Republican Party that he said \u201cis antisemitic, is anti-Israel, is conspiratorial and is unhinged.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like you\u2019re a junior congressman,\u201d Mr. King said in an interview on Saturday, referring to Mr. Vance. \u201cYou\u2019re the vice president of the United States. Unless you know what you\u2019re talking about, unless you have absolute facts to back it up, before you undermine an ally \u2014 before you undermine your own intelligence agencies \u2014 you better know what you\u2019re talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked for comment, Mr. Vance\u2019s office provided a statement, attributed to an unnamed White House official, asserting that everything the vice president had said was true and to suggest otherwise was \u201cin bad faith, stupidity, or both.\u201d Aides from his office declined to clarify his remarks.<\/p>\n The Israeli prime minister\u2019s office, which also oversees the Mossad intelligence agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr. Vance\u2019s remarks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back in the past on the idea that Mr. Epstein had worked for Israel.<\/p>\n Some Republicans have wanted to see Mr. Vance take a more aggressive approach denouncing antisemitism and show stronger support for Israel. His latest comments appeared to intensify concerns about his posture<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ben Shapiro, a prominent conservative podcaster who is Jewish and strongly supportive of Israel, wrote in a newsletter that Mr. Vance\u2019s appearance on Mr. Rogan\u2019s podcast had left him \u201cconcerned.\u201d<\/p>\n On his own show, Mr. Shapiro said Mr. Vance\u2019s commentary had been \u201cunworthy of the office\u201d of vice president and had undercut core tenets of conservatism.<\/p>\n \u201cConservatives, generally, are not in favor of baseless conspiracy theorizing,\u201d Mr. Shapiro said, \u201cbecause that undermines the idea that you have capacity in the world to act.\u201d<\/p>\n The online publication Tablet, which focuses on Jewish news and culture, published a column headlined \u201cJD Vance\u2019s Big Crashout\u201d<\/a> by the journalist Lee Smith. It said the vice president had \u201cattacked Jews and spread baseless rumors, for which he admits to having zero evidence, about some kind of dark plot involving Jeffrey Epstein.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Epstein, who cultivated associations with powerful people, including officials, from across the globe, had a yearslong friendship and business relationship<\/a> with Ehud Barak, the center-left former Israeli prime minister.<\/p>\n \u201cEpstein seemed to be connected to the elements of the Israeli deep state that were left of center,\u201d Mr. Vance told Mr. Rogan. \u201cI\u2019ve always found that fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Barak has said that the Israeli leader Shimon Peres first introduced him to Mr. Epstein in 2002. Mr. Barak attended lunches and dinners at Mr. Epstein\u2019s Manhattan townhouse and received some $2.3 million in payments from a foundation associated with Mr. Epstein. Mr. Epstein also invested a reported $1 million in a limited partnership established by Mr. Barak in 2015.<\/p>\n Mr. Barak has said he did not witness or take part in any sexual abuse. \u201cI now deeply regret having any association with him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n And top Israeli officials have staunchly denied any formal relationship<\/a> between the Israeli government and Mr. Epstein.<\/p>\n \u201cJeffrey Epstein\u2019s unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn\u2019t suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite,\u201d Mr. Netanyahu posted<\/a> on social media in February, after disclosures of emails between Mr. Epstein and Mr. Barak.<\/p>\n Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, denounced the theories of a clandestine relationship even more forcefully last year, after Mr. Carlson promoted them<\/a> at a conference hosted by Turning Point USA, a major conservative organization. From the stage, Mr. Carlson said the question of whether Mr. Epstein had worked for Mossad was one \u201cthat every U.S. citizen has a right to an answer on.\u201d<\/p>\n