Vance talks about US-Israel relations, even if Iran is trying to ‘play’ the US
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Vice President JD Vance addressed the United States’ relationship with Israel on Monday as President Donald Trump’s relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been strained recently.
“The Israelis and the United States, we have a lot of common interests, but we also have situations where our interests diverge,” Vance said on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
“I think what the president has made clear here is that while Israel obviously has some goals that it has, the main goal of the United States in Iran is to make sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Vance’s comments come after recent US intelligence reports raised concerns about Israeli surveillance efforts targeting American negotiators involved in US-Iran peace talks.
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Vice President JD Vance said military action against Iran is on the table if an agreement to end the conflict is not reached. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Those reportedly under surveillance include Pentagon chief Elbridge A. Colby and Trump’s chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff.
Trump recently confirmed that he called Netanyahu “f—ing crazy” in a heated exchange about Israeli military operations in Lebanon, revealing a rare rift between the two leaders.
As tensions between Israeli and US officials intensify over how to proceed with the Iran talks, the Pentagon has elevated Israel to a top counter-intelligence threat.
The vice president acknowledged that while Israel’s security concerns remain important, US policy toward Iran will always be guided by America’s national interests.
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“Over the past year and a half, we’ve created the necessary environment where the president believes — and I think he’s right — that we can find a long-term solution to the Iran nuclear deal,” Vance said.
“Now, Israel may like that, it may not like that,” he continued. “But fundamentally, we think this is in the interest of the United States of America.”
US President Donald Trump (L) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he arrives at the White House on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Israel and Iran have halted military exchanges after a tumultuous weekend sparked by the IDF’s pressure on Trump’s fragile Middle East.
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The attack marks the first time Iran and Israel have targeted each other since the US-brokered deal went into effect in early April.
Vance signed off on the talks showing signs of progress, saying Iran is putting “real things” on the table and arguing that a prolonged conflict is not worth it to Tehran.
“The Iranian people do not want this war to continue,” the vice president told Fox News. “It doesn’t help them, and I think they’re coming to the table, putting real things on the table.”
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Fox News host Jesse Watters asked Vance if he believed the Iranians were trying to “play” the US at the negotiating table.
Vice President JD Vance heads up to meet with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on April 11, 2026, for talks on Iran. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Pool)
“Everybody’s always trying to outplay everybody,” Vance replied.
“I don’t think anyone is working honestly.”
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Vance expressed hope that an unfinished Middle East peace deal can be reached, while stressing that strict monitoring and inspections will be essential to ensure Iran keeps its end of the nuclear deal.
“We are very involved in these discussions,” he said. “We will take the attitude of: ‘Achieving the president’s objective, but make sure in the long run that the Iranians keep their end of the bargain.’ It’s a long process but it’s a plan that the president has given us a good chance to achieve.”
“The main thing that went wrong with the Obama deal was that there was no proper test rule to make sure the Iranians could not build a nuclear weapon,” Vance added.
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Vance emphasized how much of a success the US-Iran peace deal would be for the United States.
“If we reach this deal, it will be a domestic victory for the American people,” he said.
