Vice President JD Vance said the United States will continue its close relationship with Israel while pursuing a different course from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whenever the administration determines American interests require it.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Vice President JD Vance said President Donald Trump is willing to part ways with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Washington and Jerusalem have conflicting interests, arguing that U.S. Middle East policy should not be “subservient” to Israel.
Vance made the remarks Tuesday during an appearance at the All-In Summit, where he described Israel as an important military and intelligence partner while rejecting the idea that the alliance requires agreement between the two governments on every issue.
“What the president has said, Jason, is obviously Israel has been an important partner when it comes to military technology, when it comes to intelligence sharing,” Vance said. “But also sometimes the United States doesn’t always agree with Israel.”
Vance then argued that Trump has been particularly willing to challenge Netanyahu.
“And I think that more than frankly any president in the last 40 years, he has shown a willingness to actually part ways with Bibi Netanyahu when he feels like the interests of the American people are different from the interests of the government of Israel,” Vance said.
He described the approach as one in which Netanyahu can remain a partner even when the administration determines Israel and the United States need to pursue different policies.
“Yeah, Bibi’s a good partner, but also Bibi and I have a different opinion on this, or Bibi’s wrong about this, or maybe Bibi’s right about this from the perspective of Israel, but the American people need us to go in a different direction,” Vance said, describing the position he attributed to Trump.
Vance said U.S. policy should be based on an assessment of American interests rather than automatic alignment with another country.
“So I just think that rooting this relationship, like all relationships, in America’s interests is the way to actually have a rational conversation here,” he said.
He compared Israel to America’s relationships with NATO members.
Vance said the United States maintains “a lot of important relationships” and “a lot of important partnerships in NATO,” but that does not require Washington to make European foreign policy subordinate to the alliance.
“In the same way that we cannot let our Middle Eastern foreign policy be subservient to the state of Israel,” Vance said.
“We’re going to work with people when we work with them. We’re going to disagree when we disagree. And we’re going to pursue America’s interests. That’s the only way to have a rational foreign policy.”
The comments are consistent with statements Vance made in June while tensions between Washington and Netanyahu’s government were developing over Iran.
During an interview with CBS News, Vance said the interests of the United States and Israel are sometimes “perfectly aligned” and sometimes “misaligned.”
“Where that diverges, we, unfortunately for the Israelis, have to choose the side of the American people, which we always do,” he said at the time.
Asked whether Netanyahu had made mistakes in his dealings with the United States during the Iran dispute, Vance answered, “he’s certainly gotten some things wrong.”
He declined to identify specific examples, saying such discussions were “better left in private.”
“But what I would say is that he’s been a good partner,” Vance said. “We’re gonna keep on working together. But where interests diverge, the United States is gonna pursue the best interests of our nation, and that’s how it’s gonna be.”
The administration has simultaneously continued substantial military support for Israel.
The Trump administration is preparing a proposed $2.8 billion weapons sale that would include 40,000 2,000-pound bombs — 20,000 Mk84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs — according to The Associated Press. Most of the proposed purchase would be financed through U.S. foreign military financing. The package has not yet been finalized.
The proposed sale illustrates the distinction Vance drew between maintaining a close military partnership with Israel and agreeing with Netanyahu’s government on every foreign-policy decision.
Trump and Netanyahu have encountered disagreements during the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict, including over negotiations, military operations and the terms Washington has sought for regional de-escalation.
Vance said in June that Trump would continue working with Netanyahu but would pursue U.S. objectives when the two governments’ priorities separated.
His latest remarks broadened that principle beyond individual disputes over Iran.
Rather than defining the U.S.-Israel relationship as requiring consistent agreement, Vance said the administration views it in the same terms as other alliances: cooperation where interests coincide and disagreement where they do not.
“We’re going to work with people when we work with them,” Vance said. “We’re going to disagree when we disagree. And we’re going to pursue America’s interests.”
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