JD Vance says some Israeli leaders want Iran conflict to continue ‘indefinitely’

WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday, July 15, said some elements within the Israeli government were attempting to influence American public opinion in favor of prolonging the conflict with Iran, while defending the Trump administration’s approach of pairing military action with diplomatic negotiations. 

Speaking on 'The Joe Rogan Experience', Vance argued that Washington’s objective was to use force selectively rather than support an open-ended military campaign. His remarks come as the United States continue military operations against Iran despite recent negotiation efforts.

JD Vance says some in Israeli government sought to prolong conflict 

Vance defended the Trump administration's strategy of pairing military action with diplomacy, arguing that Washington has responded forcefully to Iranian attacks while continuing to pursue negotiations.

“Like when the Iranians hit ships, the president has been willing to knock the hell out of the Iranians in response. This is not just a negotiation. It's negotiation, it's military, it's all these things,” Vance said.

He alleged that some figures within the Israeli government are against negotiations and wanted to prolong the conflict. “But I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there have been people within the Israeli government who are trying to actually shift us away from that policy because they want to continue the military campaign,” Vance said.

The vice president stressed that his criticism was not directed at all Israeli officials. “There are people within their government that I love, I have good relationships with. I hope, and I don't think that they're part of this. The ambassador of Israel to the United States is actually a really good guy,” Vance said, referencing Israeli Ambassador Dr Yechiel Leiter. 

He also accused some actors within Israel of trying to sway US public opinion. “But there are some people within their system we know beyond a shadow of a doubt who are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely. Again, not towards any objective, but just indefinitely.”

JD Vance defends Donald Trump’s Iran policy as conflict continues

Vance also defended President Donald Trump’s broader strategy toward Iran, arguing that military action should remain tied to specific objectives rather than evolve into a prolonged campaign. 

“What the president has done, I think, very, very capably, is said, we're going to use military force in this situation when it's connected to something we're trying to achieve,” Vance said. The administration’s response was intended to target capabilities used in attacks on commercial shipping rather than pursue continuous bombing.

He said, “We're not just going to do something open-ended indefinitely. We're not just going to bomb and bomb, we're going to try to use our military force as one of the many tools that we have to solve the problem.”

He also argued that sustained bombing alone would not resolve security concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. “You can bomb them, but it’s just too easy to fire at ships in the straits. So, you’ve got to actually be willing to talk and to try to figure out the problem.”