<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vice President JD Vance is facing increasing calls to publicly denounce former Fox News host Tucker Carlson for his comments perceived as anti-Israel, despite Vance’s efforts to connect with Jewish Republicans.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance has received criticism for his skepticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his critiques of the Israeli government during the Iran war, although he received positive feedback for his speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a closed-door address to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Monday night, Vance acknowledged the divisions regarding antisemitism within the Republican Party.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“A lot of people in this room are going to disagree with things that Tucker Carlson or Megyn Kelly or Joe Rogan have said,” Vance stated, according to leaked audio.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance condemned antisemitism and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting Israel but did not publicly distance himself from Carlson, despite having previously disavowed Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist. “Obviously, I’m not going to go talk to a guy who’s attacked my wife or who said that Hitler was a good guy,” Vance remarked about Fuentes.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fuentes responded to Vance’s comments on social media.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“JD Vance threw me under the bus to pander to the Republican Jewish Coalition for the same reason that his pal Tucker did: I’m not in the CIA/Palantir club,” he posted on X. “Every Tucker show is dedicated to attacking Israel but he will never be disavowed because he is cliqued up with Paypal Mafia.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While Vance reportedly received a standing ovation from the audience, critics both inside and outside the event expressed dissatisfaction.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some opponents have drawn parallels between Carlson and far-left activist Hasan Piker, suggesting that if Vance intends to run for president in 2028, he must distance himself from Carlson. “The Vice President should absolutely disavow Tucker Carlson’s anti-Semitism,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) stated in a text message to the Washington Examiner. “I don’t want a big tent philosophy if it involves [antisemites].”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Shabbos Kestenbaum, a conservative Jewish campus activist present at the RJC event, cautioned Vance that ignoring Carlson will not resolve the issue. “The Tucker question will continue to dodge Vance the way Piker continues to dodge El Sayed,” Kestenbaum posted on X. “His refusal to unequivocally denounce and condemn Tucker, who just called for Trump’s immediate removal, will make it very hard for the American Jewish community to consider his otherwise stellar policies.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a candidate for the 2024 presidential election, also criticized Vance for not taking a clear stance on Carlson. “Right is right. Wrong is wrong. In life, you must choose a side. You are either with the Tucker Carlson wing of the country or you are with the pro-Israel wing of the country. You can’t be both,” Haley posted on X.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) praised Vance’s outreach to the RJC but emphasized that antisemitism will not be tolerated within the Republican Party. “I think his appearance at RJC was good and I hope to see him continue to work on that relationship,” Fine told the Washington Examiner. “I certainly won’t support anyone who believes Tucker is part of our coalition.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Vance’s reluctance to break with Carlson contrasts with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), another potential 2028 candidate, who has consistently criticized Carlson’s anti-Israel remarks. This difference may influence which candidates receive support from influential Jewish donors, such as Miriam Adelson, in the upcoming primary. Additionally, President Donald Trump has referred to Carlson as “totally irrelevant.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I just think the vice president is postponing the inevitable,” said Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary who attended the conference. “I just don’t think that Donald Trump’s Republican Party wants Tucker to linger around.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Fleischer dismissed comparisons between Carlson and Piker in an interview with the Washington Examiner. “There’s no comparison between Tucker and Abdul because no one is campaigning with Tucker,” he said. “Democrats are campaigning with Abdul, so I don’t see any similarities.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Carlson continues to maintain a popular podcast and remains a prominent figure, recently calling for Trump’s removal from office, which has drawn criticism from Republican lawmakers.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Bacon noted that Carlson’s comments “got himself in the news,” while Fine referred to him as “a joke and a quack, and I’m not even sure Americans even pay attention to him anymore.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">One GOP strategist, who requested anonymity to speak candidly, stated, “Vance’s inability, refusal, and unwillingness to denounce Tucker Carlson will hurt him not just among the small percentage of Jewish voters, but among other voters that try to view the GOP as the non-crazy party.”</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“And certainly supporters, both Jews and evangelical Christians, who have strong support for Israel, grow … unhappier with Vance every day,” they added.</p>