US Vice President JD Vance defended the administration’s Israel policy during a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, saying President Donald Trump secured the latest Gaza ceasefire by using “leverage” over Jerusalem. Speaking in response to pointed audience questions about US aid and Israel’s influence, Vance said the White House pursued the deal by pressing all parties and insisted Israel does not direct the American president’s decisions.
Vance framed the approach within the administration’s “America First” foreign policy, arguing that Washington works with partners when interests align and parts ways when they do not. He cited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s public endorsement of the US president’s 20-point framework during a September White House visit and repeated his view that the agreement required pressure on Israel to move forward. “So when people say that Israel is somehow manipulating or controlling the president of the United States, they are not controlling this president of the United States, which is one of the reasons why we have been able to have some of the success we have had in the Middle East,” Vance said.
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Addressing faith differences raised by attendees, Vance acknowledged “significant theological disagreements” between Jews and Christians but said cooperation is possible on shared priorities, pointing to his recent visit to Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher. “My attitude is, if we can work with our friends in Israel to make sure Christians have safe access to that site, that’s an obvious area of common interest. I’m fine with that,” he said.
Asked whether the US president has a conflict of interest because major donor Miriam Adelson is a staunch supporter of Israel, Vance said he does not believe so, noting her views are transparent. The vice president also recently criticized Knesset moves toward annexing parts of the West Bank, calling the initiative a personal affront after the US president warned he would block it—an example, Vance said, of pressing Israel when US interests diverge.