JD Vance refrains from endorsing Israeli leader Netanyahu as Trump offers praise

On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Axios. The meeting was reported by Axios, citing two sources familiar with the situation. Reuters has yet to confirm the meeting's occurrence. Hegseth, speaking on social media, mentioned that he had visited U.S. service members in the Central Command area of responsibility, which encompasses the Middle East, northeast Africa, and parts of Asia.

The Pentagon did not comment on the visit. Israel's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu ahead of Israel's parliamentary election next week. The endorsement followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which led to a significant escalation in tensions in the region, culminating in a war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Netanyahu's religious-nationalist coalition is currently projected to lose its majority in the election, with both the opposition and other parties struggling to form a government, as per recent opinion polls.

However, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, in an interview earlier on Monday, did not endorse Netanyahu. Harris emphasized that she endorses American candidates and is focused on the upcoming U.S. midterms, not Israeli elections. Harris, who recently traveled to Budapest and supported Hungarian President Viktor Orban in the Hungarian election, stated that she is not getting involved in Israeli elections.