Vice President JD Vance has delivered a sharp warning to Israeli officials criticizing President Donald Trump’s new agreement with Iran, telling them to recognize how isolated Israel has become internationally.
Speaking from the White House, Vance defended the Trump administration’s interim deal with Iran and pushed back against members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government who have attacked the agreement.
Vance said Trump is one of the only world leaders still strongly sympathetic to Israel and warned Israeli officials not to attack their most important ally.
He also pointed to the huge amount of U.S. military support Israel receives, saying many of the defensive weapons that protect the country were built by American hands and paid for by American taxpayers.
The comments came after Israeli officials expressed anger over the U.S.-Iran deal, arguing that it does not go far enough to dismantle Iran’s nuclear facilities or curb Tehran’s missile program. Some critics also objected to parts of the agreement that could limit Israel’s operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Vance said he found the backlash from some Israeli officials strange and suggested it reflected mistrust of Washington. He argued that America has earned Israel’s trust and that the Trump administration is trying to create a deal that makes the region safer.
The vice president also criticized far-right Israeli ministers who have pushed for continued military action, warning that Israel cannot solve every national security problem through force alone.
Netanyahu has not publicly attacked Trump over the agreement, but some members of his government have been much more outspoken. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said Israel is not bound by the deal and would not give in to international pressure.
The dispute shows a growing rift between Washington and Jerusalem at a sensitive moment. Trump has tried to present the Iran agreement as a major diplomatic victory, while Israeli leaders remain concerned that Iran is receiving too much relief without enough security guarantees.
Trump later urged parties in the Middle East to honor the ceasefire and allow negotiations to continue. He said he expected a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel.
For now, Vance’s comments mark one of the strongest public rebukes of Israeli officials from the Trump administration. They also show that the White House is willing to pressure even close allies to support the Iran deal.
