Vance: Trump Will Break With Netanyahu When U.S. Interests Diverge

Vice President JD Vance said President Donald Trump has shown a readiness to separate from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when American and Israeli priorities diverge, and emphasized that U.S. policy in the Middle East should not be "subservient" to any single ally.

Speaking Tuesday at the All-In Podcast summit, Vance outlined the administration's approach to alliances: work closely with partners, share intelligence and technology, but pursue American interests when they conflict with a partner's preferences.

"More than frankly any president in the last 40 years, he has shown a willingness to actually part ways with Bibi Netanyahu when he feels like the interests of the American people are different from the interests of the government of Israel,"

Vance acknowledged Israel remains a vital partner for the United States—especially on military technology and intelligence cooperation—but he argued that a close relationship does not require agreement on every policy decision.

"Bibi's a good partner, but also Bibi and I have a different opinion on this," Vance said, adding that there will be moments when Netanyahu's view makes sense from Israel's perspective while the United States must follow its national interest.

Drawing a parallel to U.S. relationships in Europe, Vance said important alliances such as NATO should not dictate American policy. "In the same way that we cannot let our Middle Eastern foreign policy be subservient to the state of Israel," he said. "We're going to work with people when we work with them. We're going to disagree when we disagree. And we're going to pursue America's interests."

Vance's comments echo earlier remarks in June in which he said U.S. and Israeli interests do not always align; at that time he suggested some disagreements are best handled privately while reaffirming that Israel remains a partner.

The remarks come as the administration maintains close military cooperation with Israel. The White House is reportedly planning a proposed $2.8 billion arms package for Israel that would include 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, according to The Associated Press. The package has not been finalized, and most of the purchase would be financed through U.S. foreign military financing.

Vance and others in the administration have emphasized that continued military support does not equate to unconditional agreement on all policy matters. He also noted past differences between Trump and Netanyahu on aspects of Middle East policy, including how to handle Iran, underscoring the administration's stated priority of advancing U.S. interests.