VP Vance courts skeptical pro-Israel Republicans with closed-door RJC speech, draws standing ovation

Vice President JD Vance's appearance at the Republican Jewish Coalition's (RJC) annual gathering at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas came as a surprise to many attendees. In a fireside chat with former Sen. Norm Coleman, the coalition's national chairman, Vance addressed what he called the "elephant in the room."

"There is a growing suspicion among, I would call it, under-40s of the US-Israel relationship," Vance said. "I think my view is, what we have to do is articulate why this is in the best interest of the United States of America, and actually get out there and talk about how it is in the best interest of the United States of America."

Vance said Republicans need to frame the alliance around concrete shared interests "rather than something that may have made a lot of sense rhetorically 30 or 40 years ago."

Vance also faced questions about his tolerance for right-wing podcasters accused of platforming antisemitic views, including his longtime ally Tucker Carlson. The vice president declined to criticize Carlson directly, instead drawing a firmer line at commentator Nick Fuentes.

Defending his recent appearance on Rogan's podcast, Vance said, "I do not think that Joe Rogan and Nick Fuentes are the same, just substantively. But as a political matter, I think that we have got to be willing to go everywhere and bring our message anywhere, to any person."

Vance also directly condemned antisemitic conspiracy theories like blood libel, calling it the opposite of the Christian gospel and saying Jew-hatred is "corrosive to the soul."

The speech came amid a broader RJC conference focused on the 2026 midterms, with Republican officials arguing the GOP is positioned to gain ground among Jewish voters disillusioned with the Democratic Party's handling of Israel-related issues.