WASHINGTON – US Vice President JD Vance has claimed that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had connections to the highest levels of Israeli intelligence, while accusing pro-Israel groups of attempting to shape American public opinion in favour of prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
JD Vance made these remarks about Epstein ties with Israeli intelligence during a three-hour interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
During the interview, the vice president alleged that Epstein had “clear ties” to senior levels of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.
However, he did not present evidence to substantiate the claim.
Vance also called for a reassessment of US-Israel relations, arguing that certain Israeli-linked interests were engaged in a well-funded campaign to influence public opinion in the United States and weaken efforts aimed at diplomacy with Iran.
Despite his criticism, Vance said the alleged Israeli pressure campaign had not succeeded in forcing the United States into a war with Iran.
He further claimed that the objective of such efforts was to sustain military conflict for an indefinite period rather than pursue a negotiated settlement.
The remarks are among the strongest public criticisms of Israel made by the US vice president and are likely to fuel debate over Washington’s Middle East policy.
Neither the Israeli government nor Mossad had publicly responded to Vance’s comments at the time of filing this report.
