Report: Israel Does Not Trust Vance, and Worse Is Coming in Relations with Washington

SadaNews - Politico magazine, citing informed American and Israeli sources and officials, revealed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government does not trust J.D. Vance, the U.S. Vice President, considering him one of the main advocates for reaching an agreement with Iran and has sought to push for reducing American ties with Israel.

The magazine pointed out that for years, Vance has insisted that American and Israeli interests are not always aligned, and that the United States should not be drawn into a confrontation with Iran on behalf of Israel, a stance that has raised concerns within Israeli decision-making circles.

According to a source familiar with the interactions between the two governments, Israel has long preferred direct communication with President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio over Vance, viewing his cautious positions towards the U.S.-Israel relationship as a marginal trend within the administration.

However, the pivotal role he played in negotiations with Iran and the resulting agreement showed that his influence within the White House is larger than Tel Aviv believed.

"We Should Not Fight on Behalf of Israel"

Politico reported that Vance's recent statements "shocked the Israelis", and were considered in official Israeli circles as "one of the lowest points in the course of relations between the two countries".

According to close associates of the Vice President, these statements reflect a growing conviction within the administration that public support for Israel is declining among segments of American voters, including within the younger Republican base, which necessitates a different political approach to the relationship with Tel Aviv.

The U.S. Vice President sharply criticized Israeli government members who attacked the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran, stating that President Donald Trump is "the only president currently sympathetic to Israel".

Vance said that if he were any member of the Israeli government, he would not have "attacked the only strong ally remaining for me in the whole world", pointing out that "two-thirds of the weapons that have protected them in recent months were made and funded by the United States".

In contrast, a person close to Vance stated that the Vice President "simply reflects Trump's positions", confirming that the U.S. President has become more critical of Netanyahu, both in his public statements and in private conversations.

"We Thought of Ourselves as an Exception"

The magazine reported from seven informed American and Israeli officials and sources that the crisis between Israel and the American administration is "much larger than J.D. Vance", noting that the Vice President now embodies a new reality in Washington where Israel no longer enjoys an exceptional status that precedes all other U.S. allies.

An Israeli political consultant told Politico that Tel Aviv had bet on the return of President Trump to the White House to exempt it from the requirements of the "America First" doctrine, but he acknowledged that this perception was a mistake, adding: "We were naive when we thought we would remain a special exception within this policy".

Worse Is Coming

Politico highlighted increasing signs of a cooling relationship between the two sides, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington five times in 2025, while he has made only one visit this year, with no announced plans for a new visit, alongside a significant decline in the pace of phone communications between the two governments.

An informed source indicated that phone communications between the American and Israeli governments have noticeably declined recently, warning that bilateral relations may head towards further deterioration.

He added: "We do not believe we have yet reached the worst possible stage, and what is coming may be worse".

In contrast, the White House spokesperson confirmed that President Trump and Vice President Vance share the same stance towards Israel, emphasizing that it "has always been a great ally of the United States". She added that Trump "has had no equal in supporting Israel and advancing peace", praising the Israeli military partnership during the "Epic Rage" operation against Iran.

Sources and American and Israeli officials speaking to the magazine anticipated that the gap in differences between Washington and Tel Aviv would widen in the coming months, amid increasing divergence in interests and priorities between the two sides.

Source: Politico