Vance declines to endorse Netanyahu’s reelection bid, breaking with Trump

Vice President JD Vance and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the Prime Minister’s Office on October 22, 2025 in Jerusalem, Israel. Nathan Howard/Pool/Getty Images/File JD Vance Donald Trump The Middle East Pete Hegseth See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Vice President JD Vance on Monday declined to say whether he endorses Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, after President Donald Trump recently threw his support behind the Israeli prime minister.

“I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on is the midterm,” Vance said in an interview with journalist Mark Halperin aboard Air Force Two. “I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections.”

Yet, Vance traveled to Budapest, Hungary, earlier this year to support Trump-endorsed Victor Orbán ahead of his election, which the longtime prime minister lost.

Vance said he wasn’t for or against endorsing Netanyahu.

“I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections,” Vance said.

The relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin and US President Donald Trump, shown in April, 2025, has soured ahead of crucial elections. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/FILE Nine days before Israeli elections, Trump finally endorses Netanyahu

Trump had also previously held off endorsing Netanyahu.

“I’m not involved in [Israeli] politics anymore,” Trump told Time earlier this month.

But Trump gave his full-throated endorsement Saturday for Netanyahu, calling him a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” in a post on social media.

Vance’s apparent break from Trump in declining to endorse the prime minister comes just days before Israel’s election and as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth traveled to Israel in an unannounced trip, according to two sources familiar and a US official.

Hegseth met Monday evening with Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, according to an Israeli source familiar with the details and another source familiar.