Leaked audio has revealed U.S. Senator JD Vance's remarks to a private gathering of Jewish donors and pro-Israel activists, where he defended his relationships with media personalities Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Joe Rogan, while sharply distinguishing his stance on white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Vance addressed concerns raised by members of the Republican Jewish Coalition regarding his ties to Carlson, a known critic of Israel. "A lot of people in this room are going to disagree with things that Tucker Carlson or Megyn Kelly or Joe Rogan have said," Vance stated, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. "But I think, just to hone in on Fuentes and Rogan, I think these are two very, very different categories of people, both with their reach, but also within the ideas that are in their actual head."
Regarding Rogan, Vance suggested that the "best approach" to counter anti-Israel sentiment is to engage directly. "actually go in there and talk to him [Rogan] and make the argument as best as you can," he said.
However, Vance expressed a much firmer opposition to Nick Fuentes, whom he has previously denounced. "Obviously, I’m not going to go talk to a guy who’s attacked my wife or who said that Hitler was a good guy," Vance stated, referring to Fuentes's controversial remarks.
These comments reportedly received a standing ovation from the attendees at the closed-door summit. Carlson, Kelly, and Rogan were significant media allies for Donald Trump and Vance during the 2024 campaign. Carlson campaigned for the ticket, Kelly endorsed Trump, and Rogan's interview with Trump garnered significant viewership before Election Day.
Vance's connection with Carlson dates back years, with Carlson featuring Vance on his Fox News show, including for Vance's first interview after announcing his 2021 Ohio Senate campaign. Vance also appeared on Rogan's podcast in July for an extended interview.
In his remarks, Vance also addressed what he called an "elephant in the room": the growing negative sentiment among young Americans toward the U.S. relationship with Israel. He referenced a February Gallup poll indicating that 53 percent of Americans aged 18 to 34 sympathized more with Palestinians, a notable shift in opinion.
"What we have to do is articulate why this is in the best interest of the United States of America," Vance argued. "I think it’s very, very important to talk about the concrete alignment of interest, and to hook the relationship on that."
Vance is considered a potential contender for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, though he has not yet officially declared his candidacy.