United States Vice President JD Vance has declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of elections later this month, saying he prefers to stay out of the contest and focus on American midterm polls.
Vance made the comments during an interview on Monday with journalist Mark Halperin, one day after President Donald Trump publicly backed Netanyahu.
“I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance said. “I endorse American candidates and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterms.”
Israelis are due to vote on October 27. Trump has cultivated a close relationship with Netanyahu over two terms in office. The Israeli leader’s Likud party is trailing the Yashar party led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot in some opinion polls.
Vance, viewed as a possible 2028 presidential contender, has previously signalled limits to unconditional US support for Israel. In June, he told Israel: “You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”
He last endorsed a foreign leader in April when he backed Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who later lost an election.
