Vance says Trump era sees widening US-Israel policy gap

J.D. Vance acknowledged a widening gap between the interests of President Donald Trump's administration and the positions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, praising Trump’s “unprecedented” record of opposing Netanyahu when it comes to advancing the interests of the American people.

Vance made the remarks in an online address to a technology summit in Los Angeles, according to the Jerusalem Post.

He explained that Trump has shown a greater willingness than any US president in the past forty years to diverge from Netanyahu when Washington’s interests differ from those of the Israeli government.

Vance stressed that the United States does not always agree with Israel, emphasizing that American policy should be guided first and foremost by the interests of the American people.

Tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv have surfaced over Middle East issues, particularly regarding the Gaza war and Iran.

Vance noted that Israel has tried to influence US public opinion on the conflict with Iran, adding that the United States ended the war with Iran without a clear plan to prevent Tehran from continuing its path toward acquiring nuclear weapons.

Vance’s comments come as Netanyahu’s popularity declines in the United States after three years of Middle East conflicts and with the US midterm elections approaching, as Republican figures seek to distance themselves from unpopular policies to preserve Trump’s agenda.