STORY-TRÅD·politik

Vance reaches out to Jewish Republicans in Vegas speech

Vice President Vance on Monday offered an olive branch to Jewish Republicans who have grown wary of his views toward Israel.During a closed-door appearance before the Republican Jewish Coalition at the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas, Vance called Israel "extremely important to America's national security" and condemned rising antisemitism.Why it matters: Vance's appearance at the meeting is the latest indication that he's trying to repair ties with a powerful but skeptical constituency within the GOP ahead of an expected bid for president in 2028.In a 30-minute Q&A session with former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, Vance recalled discussing antisemitism with the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who he said shared his view that "Jew hatred is corrosive to the soul." Vance blamed some of the recent rise in antisemitism on immigration, claiming that "a lot" of it was "coming from these Third World immigrants importing these ancient ethnic hatreds.""If you want to bring ethnic hatreds with you, don't bother coming to the United States," Vance said.He added that there was there was "a much deeper cultural symbiosis and harmony" to the U.S. relationship with nations such as the United Kingdom and Israel compared to other allies.The background: Tensions between Vance and the pro-Israel conservatives have been growing for months.During the lead-up to the Iran war, Vance privately expressed a belief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given overly rosy projections about how U.S. military action would play out. Vance confronted Netanyahu over those predictions after the war began. After helping broker a U.S.-Iran deal — which quickly fell apart — Vance warned the Israelis to stand down in their opposition, reminding them of their reliance on U.S. support.During a mid-July interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Vance said he knew "beyond a shadow of a doubt" that people within Israel's government were trying to prescribe U.S.-Iran diplomacy because "they want to continue the military campaign." Vance's interview with Rogan drew pushback from pro-Israel conservatives, including podcaster Ben Shapiro. Netanyahu confronted Vance over his criticisms of Israel's government in a meeting later that month.Behind the scenes: Jewish Republicans have long expressed discomfort over Vance's relationship with podcaster Tucker Carlson, who has faced accusations of antisemitism.During his appearance at the RJC, Vance was asked about how the party should deal with right-of-center podcasters who have been critical of Israel, including Carlson, Rogan, Megyn Kelly and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Vance responded that Republicans should aggressively engage with such personalities and make the case for Israel.He didn't address his relationship with Carlson, but defended Rogan and criticized Fuentes, who Vance said "has nothing but hate in his heart."State of play: Earlier Monday, Vance campaigned in Michigan, where he accused progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed of being more sympathetic toward the attacker of a synagogue than for its Jewish victims.The intrigue: Vance's appearance at RJC highlights a centerpiece of his pre-2028 strategy — appearing before audiences that aren't reflexively supportive.During his recent book tour, Vance sparred with liberal-leaning personalities such as Bill Maher and the hosts of "The View."