Vice President J.D. Vance is forcefully rejecting warnings from within his own party about rising antisemitism on the political right, placing himself in direct contrast with Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and other Republicans who say the threat is real and growing.
In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News, Vance dismissed the idea that antisemitic sentiment is worsening among conservatives, insisting that accusations of a broader problem amount to "slanderous" attacks on the GOP.
But his comments come at a moment when high-profile conservatives, online influencers, and parts of the populist right — many of them close to Vance — have embraced rhetoric that alarms Jewish leaders, traditional Republicans, and even fellow Trump administration officials.
The divide between Vance and Cruz underscores a deeper ideological realignment in the party over Israel, foreign policy, and the boundaries of acceptable political discourse.
Vance told NBC News that he simply does not see antisemitism spreading among young conservatives, despite mounting incidents nationally.
"When I talk to young conservatives, I don't see some simmering antisemitism that's exploding," Vance said.
"In any bunch of apples, you have bad people ... But it's slanderous to say the Republican Party ... is extremely antisemitic."
The vice president framed the issue as one of personal conduct rather than systemic concern, emphasizing that judging others based on "immutable characteristics" is un-Christian and un-American.
But his assurance that antisemitism is not meaningfully rising on the right places him at odds with Republicans who have sounded the alarm.
Cruz — positioning himself as a potential 2028 rival to Vance — has increasingly used his platform to highlight what he calls a worrisome uptick in anti-Jewish sentiment among conservatives.
Cruz has specifically cited:
— Young conservatives confronting Vance with hostile questions about Israel at recent events.
— The influence of Tucker Carlson, a Vance friend and ally, who recently hosted a Holocaust denier on his podcast.
— A broader shift among a segment of the right that increasingly criticizes Israel and amplifies narratives traditionally found on the far left or far right.
Vance's attempt to minimize the problem cannot be separated from his political alliances.
He remains close with Carlson, perhaps the most influential media voice in reshaping right-wing attitudes toward Israel.
Carlson has repeatedly questioned U.S. support for Israel and elevated harsh critics of the Israeli government — culminating in his hosting of a known Holocaust denier, which Cruz sharply condemned.
Carlson has made statements many in the Jewish community see as patently antisemitic, including claims that Jews control the banking system, Congress, and even President Donald Trump.
He also claimed that Israel was actively engaged in genocide in Gaza as it sought to defend itself and seek release of hostages held by Hamas.
Carlson and other prominent online figures — such as some in the "New Right" and "national conservative" circles — have characterized Israel as a foreign drain on U.S. resources or accused American Jewish leaders of driving unwanted foreign-policy outcomes.
These voices often overlap with communities that have trafficked in antisemitic tropes, even when the speakers themselves deny prejudice.
Vance's recent visit to Israel further highlighted his divergence from traditional Republican orthodoxy.
Rather than offering unqualified support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — long a pillar of conservative foreign policy — Vance struck a more critical tone.
According to reporting from across Israeli and U.S. outlets, Vance emphasized missteps by the Netanyahu government and questioned aspects of Israel's strategy.
That posture aligns him more closely with the populist right's skepticism than with the historically pro-Israel stance of Republicans such as Cruz, Nikki Haley, Newt Gingrich, and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Vance's message contrasts sharply with the Trump administration's efforts to position itself as a bulwark against antisemitism, even as the movement surrounding Trump has shown deep internal fractures on Israel.
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