JD Vance says Israeli critics of Iran deal need to ‘wake up and smell the reality’

Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsWorldIsrael & Middle EastJD Vance says Israeli critics of Iran deal need to ‘wake up and smell the reality’‘If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,’ Vance saidLast updated 38 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2026. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesU.S. Vice President JD Vance had sharp words on Thursday for Israeli critics of the Trump administration’s peace deal with Iran, accusing them of being ungrateful to the United States.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorSpeaking to reporters during a White House press briefing, Vance said that he was skeptical of reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “fuming” over the agreement before sharply criticizing members of the Israeli cabinet who have made negative public remarks.“That’s not reflective of the conversations that I’ve had with him, but maybe he’s saying something to somebody else that he’s not saying to me,” Vance said of Netanyahu. “What I will say, and this does bother me, is that you’ve seen people within Bibi’s cabinet who have come out and attacked the deal, and in some ways, very personally attacked the president of the United States.”Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Channel Israel will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“My message to them would be twofold: One, Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time, and he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower,” Vance said. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are among the Israeli officials who have publicly come out against the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding, with Ben-Gvir writing that Israel would not be bound by the deal.Ben-Gvir posted an image of Vance on social media on Thursday, saying the United States ought to have dealt with “the Nazis of the 21st century,” referring to Iran, “just as the United States dealt with the Nazis of the 20th century.”In an interview with the New York Times published Thursday, Vance directly named Smotrich and Ben-Gvir as having attacked the deal.“I guess my response to them would be — what is your exact proposal? You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have,” Vance told the Times.Trump himself has been increasingly critical of the high death toll from Israeli attacks, particularly on Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon.“When two drones are shot into the desert and drop harmlessly, you don’t have to knock down buildings in Beirut. They could behave better, and frankly they could do a better job,” Trump said in a press conference at the G7 summit in France on Wednesday.Vance credited Netanyahu with avoiding personal attacks on Trump, but reminded the Israeli cabinet that “two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.”He stated that “the problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump, and anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in.”The vice president spent most of Thursday’s press conference describing and defending the MoU, which a senior U.S. official read aloud in a background press briefing, but which has not yet been officially published.Trump signed the MoU at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday after the conclusion of a G7 summit, and Iranian state media released images of Iranian President Masoud Pezekhian holding up his signature on the deal on Thursday.Vance said the 60-day clock to reach the “final deal” described in the MoU began on Thursday, ahead of an expected signing ceremony and talks between the United States and Iran this weekend in Geneva.– With additional reporting from AFP Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.