WATCH: J.D. Vance Advocates for Robust U.S. Support of Israel in Line with America First Policy

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who was selected as former President Donald Trump’s running mate on Monday, underscored the importance of U.S. support for Israel within his America First foreign policy framework, highlighting its moral, religious, and strategic basis, while critiquing decades of U.S. foreign policy.

Speaking at the Quincy Institute in May, Vance, who has been described as “America First On Steroids,” delivered a pointed critique of decades of U.S. foreign policy, noting that “on issue after issue after issue, somehow the foreign policy consensus of this town seems to almost always be wrong.”

Vance, who said he represents the people “in the heartland,” urged for a foreign policy that recognizes that the “moral intuitions of American citizens” should matter most, in his speech to the American think tank, which specializes in U.S. foreign policy.

As a result, he emphasized the need to reevaluate America’s international engagements and prioritize alliances that align with the country’s interests and values, while underscoring his strong support for Israel.

Pointing to the deep-seated cultural and religious connections between the Jewish state and the United States, the Ohio senator stated that Americans largely “care about Israel because we are still the largest Christian majority country in the world.”

He also argued that America’s support for Israel is not only a moral imperative but also strategically advantageous, particularly in terms of technological and defense collaborations, as he praised the Jewish State’s technological advancements, especially in missile defense systems such as the Iron Beam.

“The Israelis are doing the most important work to actually give us missile defense parity,” he noted, emphasizing the strategic benefits of the partnership between the two nations.

Expressing support for Israel and its war against Hamas, Vance argued that peace and stability in the Middle East requires Israel to defeat the Gaza-based terrorist group as a functioning military apparatus.

Contrasting his stance on Israel with his views on the Ukraine conflict, the GOP vice presidential nominee questioned the strategic endgame of U.S. support for Ukraine. While acknowledging the bravery of Ukrainians, he argued that prolonged U.S. involvement does not serve American interests.

“We have to identify where our interests are most important and focus on those,” he said, advocating for a more selective approach to foreign aid and military support.

Vance also criticized Washington’s failure to make necessary trade-offs, highlighting the strain on resources caused by simultaneous support for multiple conflicts. He also warned that America’s middle class is at risk due to the rise of China’s industrial power, emphasizing the need to rebuild domestic manufacturing.

He concluded by recounting a conversation with an Israeli official who indicated that US demands in favor of Ukraine had depleted Israel’s munition stockpiles, which has prolonged the conflict in Gaza “in a way that is really destructive to American interests.”

Vance’s remarks appeared to reflect a growing sentiment among younger Republicans to prioritize American interests and the middle class while reevaluating traditional alliances and military commitments.

On Monday, Trump announced Vance as his 2024 running mate. The much-anticipated moment occurred just as the former president was being formally nominated as the Republican presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Vance, who has represented Ohio since 2022 and is the youngest serving Senator today, has been a vocal critic of traditional US foreign policy approaches who has also long maintained strong conservative support for Israel.

“Our goal in the Middle East should be to allow the Israelis to get to some good place with Saudi Arabians and other Gulf Arab states,” he told CNN in May. “There is no way that we can do that unless the Israelis finish the job with Hamas. If they can’t even do that, the attitude of the Middle East will be, you can’t trust these guys.”

“You’re never going to defeat the ideology of Hamas, but you can root out those commanders, those final military trained battalions. I think we should empower the Israelis to do it,” he suggested.

In 2022, Vance told The Jerusalem Post he would be “as strong an advocate for the US-Israel relationship as anyone.”