JD Vance declines to endorse Netanyahu despite Trump’s strong backing

US Vice-President JD Vance said he would not endorse Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s upcoming election, despite President Donald Trump’s public backing of the Israeli prime minister. Vance said he focuses on endorsing US candidates ahead of the midterm elections and wants to stay out of Israeli politics.

Vance stressed that his neutrality should not be read as opposition to Netanyahu. Trump had given Netanyahu his “Complete and Total Endorsement” the previous day, praising him as an ally in confronting Iran; Netanyahu thanked Trump and said they would work to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. Vance had campaigned in Hungary alongside then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in April, before Orbán lost his re-election bid.