Vance declines to endorse Netanyahu for Israel's Oct. 27 election, a day after Trump backed him

As of 6:42 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026

Vice President JD Vance declined Monday to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection, a day after President Donald Trump endorsed him, The Associated Press reported.

In an interview with journalist Mark Halperin, Vance said Trump's endorsement was the most influential in American or international political history, according to AP. Vance said he endorses American candidates and is focused on the midterm elections, and that he is not getting involved in Israeli elections, AP reported. He spoke while traveling Monday to campaign in North Carolina for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, according to AP.

Trump endorsed Netanyahu on Sunday in a post on Truth Social. "Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel," Trump wrote. Israelis are set to vote in national elections on Oct. 27, AP has reported.

Vance has campaigned for a foreign leader before. Last spring he campaigned for then-Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before Orban's party lost that country's parliamentary election, AP reported.

AP reported that Vance has faced skepticism from Jewish Republicans about his commitment to Jewish Americans and to the U.S. alliance with Israel. In June he sharply criticized members of Israel's government for opposing Trump's efforts to resolve the war with Iran, and in July, on Joe Rogan's podcast, he said elements of the Israeli government had tried to influence American public opinion to derail negotiations, according to AP.