US Vice President JD Vance has publicly accused members of the Israeli government of orchestrating a coordinated influence campaign to sway American public opinion against a diplomatic deal to end the war with Iran. In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan aired Wednesday, Vance described the operation as a “literal foreign influence campaign” designed to derail negotiations.
Vance asserted that he knows “beyond a shadow of a doubt” that specific actors within the Israeli system are manipulating US sentiment to ensure the continuation of military action. The Vice President cited a recent Time Magazine report detailing how a former Trump campaign manager was hired to run a digital operation aimed at shaping US views on the conflict. Vance, who has faced personal criticism for his role in pursuing the peace agreement, stated, “There are some people within their system… manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely.”
Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas described the Vice President’s remarks as “unprecedented” and “shocking,” noting that such vocal accusations against a primary ally highlight a significant rift in current US-Israel relations. While Vance acknowledged that foreign influence is a common reality in international politics, he emphasized that it becomes problematic when these operations “affect American political judgement.” The Israeli government has not yet provided an official response to the Vice President’s allegations.