US Vice President JD Vance declined to follow President Donald Trump's lead in endorsing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel's Knesset election next week, making clear that he has no intention of getting involved in any Israeli campaign.
Speaking to the 2WAY program, Vance was asked whether he supported Netanyahu's re-election bid. The vice president responded unequivocally that his political endorsements were reserved for American candidates.
"I endorse American candidates," Vance said. "I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections."
Q: Trump endorsed Netanyahu. Do you endorse Netanyahu?
JD Vance: I endorse American candidates. I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections. https://t.co/TXYncDC4LR
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 19, 2026
'Focused on the midterms'
"I endorse American candidates, and that's where I'm focused on, is the midterms," Vance said, referring to the upcoming US congressional elections. "I'm not anti-endorsing him. I'm not pro-endorsing him. I'm not getting involved in Israeli elections," he added.
Notably, Vance endorsed former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán earlier this year ahead of Hungary's parliamentary election, which Orbán lost.
Vance's remarks came after Trump threw his full support behind Netanyahu, warning that electing a different Israeli leader could leave the US to confront Iran on its own.
"If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
