U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance refused to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-term regional ambitions on Saturday, declaring in a London podcast interview that he could not “get inside somebody’s head” to assess the Israeli leader’s intentions.

Speaking on the *Diary of a CEO* podcast published on 20 June 2026, Vance also distanced himself from Netanyahu personally, stating bluntly: “I don’t trust anybody.” The remarks came as Netanyahu faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, a factor that has intensified scrutiny of his government’s policies and regional strategy.

Vance’s comments follow repeated questions about whether Israel, under Netanyahu, seeks to expand its influence under the concept of a “Greater Israel.” When pressed on the issue during the same interview, Vance responded: “I don’t know. I can’t get inside somebody’s head.” The vice president’s refusal to speculate on Netanyahu’s strategic goals underscores growing unease within the U.S. administration over the direction of Israeli policy, even as Washington and Jerusalem remain formal allies.

In a separate segment of the same interview, Vance sought to clarify the boundaries between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism. “Criticising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies does not automatically equate to antisemitism,” he said. “The U.S. and Israel are partners but do not always share aligned interests, and opposition to Israeli government policies can be expressed without bigotry.”

The remarks follow a week of heightened diplomatic tension, with Netanyahu’s domestic popularity plummeting to 41% according to a poll published on 21 June 2026, in which 59% of Israelis said the prime minister should not seek re-election in October. The survey reflects broader discontent amid Israel’s ongoing military operations and the ICC’s legal pursuit of Netanyahu.

Vance’s refusal to endorse Netanyahu’s ambitions, combined with his insistence that policy criticism is not inherently antisemitic, signals a cautious but deliberate shift in tone from Washington. While the U.S. continues to support Israel militarily and diplomatically, the vice president’s comments suggest a growing willingness to publicly question the strategic direction of Netanyahu’s government.

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