US Vice President JD Vance has sought to reassure members of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) that the Trump administration still has Israel top of mind, as he gave a closed-door speech at the group's Las Vegas convention on Monday.
Politico, which obtained audio of the remarks, said Vance was met with “raucous applause” from what was a sceptical crowd, given the vice president's willingness to question the pro-Israeli lobby's influence on US politics, and to remain close to figures such as former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, who has become a leading critic of Israel among Republicans.
The RJC, which is staunchly pro-Israel, finds itself in an uphill battle as criticism of Israel skyrockets among young Republicans in particular.
In addition to Israel's conduct in Gaza, which has been classified as a genocide by the United Nations and leading holocaust scholars, many young conservatives are asking why billions of dollars in US foreign aid are given to a nuclear-armed state every year.
“There is a growing suspicion among, I would call it, under-40s, of the US-Israel relationship,” Vance said in the audio obtained by Politico.
