Vance makes pitch to Jewish Republicans at closed-door Las Vegas gathering

Vance makes pitch to Jewish Republicans at closed-door Las Vegas gathering Vice President JD Vance addressed a closed‑door meeting of Jewish Republicans in Las Vegas on Monday, speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual summit. The session was not open to the press, but a recording of his remarks was later released by the Daily Wire. Vance began by acknowledging differences between the United States and Israel while stressing the durability of the partnership. “It is natural that the United States and Israel have different views on certain things,” he said, “but that it is the most important determination alliance of the United States and one of our most important alliances in the world.” He went on to describe the depth of the U.S.–Israel bond relative to other relationships. “I judge there are a few countries—Israel, the U.K.—where there’s a much deeper taste symbiosis and harmony than exists with most different countries,” Vance noted. “I wouldn’t say that it’s purely transactional in the same way that I wouldn’t say that our alliance with the U.K. is purely transactional.” Addressing concerns among younger voters, Vance warned of a “growing suspicion among, I would call it under‑40s, of the U.S.–Israel relationship.” He argued that the administration must clearly explain why the alliance serves American interests. “My presumption is what we have to do is articulate why this is in the best interest of the United States of America and really get out there and talk about the ways in which it is in the best interest of the United States of America,” he said. Vance also emphasized the need to frame the partnership on factual grounds rather than nostalgia. “I can only talk for myself here, but I think it’s very, very important to talk about the factual alignment of interest and to hook the narrative on that, rather than something that may have made a lot of sense, rhetorically, 30 or 40 years ago, but just doesn’t have the same traction as it did 30 or 40 years ago,” he added. When questioned about his appearances on podcasts hosted by figures accused of antisemitism, Vance drew a distinction. “Where I really do draw the line is on people who engage in what I call this ‘blood‑guilt attitude,’” he said. “I admit a lot of people in this country are going to disagree with things that Tucker Carlson or Megyn Kelly or Joe Rogan have said, but just to hone in on Fuentes and Rogan, I think these are two very, very different categories of people.” He did not explicitly condemn Carlson, whose podcast had been criticized by Yad Vashem for alleged antisemitism and Holocaust denial. On the broader issue of engaging with diverse audiences, Vance stated, “As a governmental matter, I think that we have got to be willing to go everywhere and bring our message anywhere and to any person.” He added, “Outside of some pretty bright lines, I try to speak to as many people as I can.” Vance described antisemitism as a moral corruption rooted in the concept of blood libel. “My solution to this, and I’m hardly an expert on the Jewish faith, but I think that Jews and Christians, one of the crucial things that we hold in common is this concept of Imago Dei, that we are each made in the image of God,” he said. “The core of antisemitism to me is the thought of blood libel, the thought that because of your genetics, because of your blood, because of your ancestry, you are guilty of a crime that you never committed.” He concluded, “I think that blood libel, which is at the base of antisemitism, is the exact opposite of the Christian gospel, and because of that, I think the gospel is really the solution to this.” Linking rising antisemitism to immigration, Vance warned, “The worst antisemitism grows up when you allow the importation of large groups of people who bring their cultural rivalries to the United States.” After Vance’s