Vice President JD Vance is set to address a major gathering of Jewish conservatives on Monday, with some Jews in the GOP raising concerns that the vice president is breaking with them on Israel — and others saying his attendance at the event is a positive sign.<\/p>\n
Vance is set to speak at the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) annual leadership summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, just hours after a campaign stop in Michigan.<\/p>\n
![\"America\"](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/1cf04ead-b54c-4313-bf68-bb6cc6572009\/vance-01-gty-jt-260828_1787948107290_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375 "\\"America\\"")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ken Cedeno\/AFP via Getty Images, FILE<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But while the RJC is staunchly supportive of Israel, the vice president has made sharp and skeptical comments toward Israel in recent months, contrasting with the party faithful’s traditionally supportive line toward the Jewish state.<\/p>\n While delivering a press briefing in the White House in June<\/a>, for instance, as the United States was working on a deal to pause the war started by the U.S. and Israel with Iran, Vance told reporters that he had seen Israeli Cabinet members criticize the deal and would tell them that “Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time … If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”<\/p>\n In a later interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Vance also said that “there are some people” in the Israeli government “we know beyond a shadow of a doubt who are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitel. … what I would say to the Americans who sort of see this and are frustrated by it, my attitude would be: you should be frustrated at American leaders who are persuaded by this, affected by this.”<\/p>\n Vance also said other governments run similar influence campaigns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later told ABC News<\/a> he spoke with Vance about those comments “and I think we straightened that out because we’re not. That’s not our policy.”<\/p>\n Vance, in a later\u00a0Fox News interview<\/a>\u00a0where he was asked about reported discordant conversations with Netanyahu, said that Israel is “a great partner” but that he was willing to have “a frank conversation” with Netanyahu when their viewpoints differ, similar to conversations with other U.S. allies.<\/p>\n Maura Schrier-Fleming, who is a member of a Dallas-based group of Jewish Republican women, told ABC News that she found some of Vance’s comments about Israel’s actions in the region to be “a mischaracterization of how Israel has had to defend itself.”<\/p>\n Asked what she’d be looking to hear from Vance at the conference, Schrier-Fleming said, “He’s got to emphasize that what’s good for America is good for Americans, and our ally, our only democratic ally in the Middle East, has demonstrated to America that they are worth more than the aid we provide them.”<\/p>\n A veteran Republican operative, who asked not to be named as he is actively working in Republican politics, pointed to Vance’s White House briefing as an inflection point to how Vance has been discussed among Jewish Republicans, saying that Vance’s support among Jewish conservatives collapsed tremendously after he said that.<\/p>\n The operative felt that further efforts by Vance to reach out to Jewish conservatives or to show support for Israel was akin to an “apology tour,” as well as a calculation toward winning back support among the Jewish right ahead of a potential run for president in 2028. Vance has declined to confirm if he plans to run for the presidency in 2028, saying he is focused on the midterms<\/a>, but has left the door open to a run.<\/p>\n In this May 12, 2024, file photo, people carry Israeli and American flags during a “United for Israel” march in Seattle.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Jason Redmond\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"board](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/98c88b50-71bd-49b4-aaa6-e5c2e8140072\/israel-flag-gty-jt-260828_1787948200079_hpEmbed_3x2.jpg?w=375 "\\"board")
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