- News
- World
- Americas
- US politics
‘Do I think that the Republican Party is substantially more antisemitic than it was 10 or 15 years ago? Absolutely not,’ Vance said
Brendan Rasciusin New YorkFriday 05 December 2025 04:21 GMTComments
CloseTrump reacts as Mamdani answers question over whether he thinks the president is a fascist
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Get our free Inside Washington email
Email*SIGN UPI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice
Vice President JD Vance said he disagrees with fellow Republicans who claim that antisemitism is “exploding” on the right.
In a new wide-ranging interview with NBC News, the vice president distanced himself from party members who have sounded alarm over what they describe as growing anti-Jewish hostility within their ranks.
“Judging anybody based on their skin color or immutable characteristics, I think, is fundamentally anti-American and anti-Christian,” Vance told the outlet on Thursday. “I do think it’s important to call this stuff out when I see it. I also, when I talk to young conservatives, I don’t see some simmering antisemitism that’s exploding.”
He acknowledged the presence of a few bad apples but emphasized that their proportion has stayed relatively steady over time.
“Do I think that the Republican Party is substantially more antisemitic than it was 10 or 15 years ago? Absolutely not,” Vance said. “I think it’s kind of slanderous to say that the Republican Party, the conservative movement, is extremely antisemitic.”
open image in galleryIn a new interview, Vice President JD Vance said he disagrees with Republicans who claim that antisemitism is ‘exploding’ on the right (Getty Images)His comments come in contrast to those of Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, who has denounced what he calls an increase in anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment — including among conservatives, the outlet reported.
Cruz, who has positioned himself as Israel’s strongest ally in the Senate, has specifically targeted young conservatives who questioned Vance about Israel at a recent event. He’s also gone after Tucker Carlson for hosting Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust denier, on his show — and castigated fellow conservatives for failing to denounce Carlson.
Recent months have seen several high-profile incidents involving Republicans and allegations of antisemitism.
In October, Politico published leaked Telegram chats from leaders of Young Republican groups across multiple states, which revealed extensive antisemitic, racist and white supremacist rhetoric. Messages included praise for Adolf Hitler and references to gas chambers.
open image in gallerySenator Ted Cruz has condemned what he describes as an escalation of anti-Jewish sentiment, singling out a group of young conservatives and Tucker Carlson (AFP via Getty Images)Days later, Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s then-nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, withdrew himself from consideration after texts came to light in which he allegedly admitted to having “a Nazi streak,” The Independent previously reported.
Similar scandals have also plagued Democrats. In October, Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner said, following backlash, he covered up a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol.
Concerns about rising antisemitism grew in the wake of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, sparking a yearslong war in Gaza, which led to the death of about 70,000 Palestinians and around 2,000 Israelis.
open image in gallery‘Do I think that the Republican Party is substantially more antisemitic than it was 10 or 15 years ago? Absolutely not,’ Vance told NBC News. (Getty Images)Since then, American sympathy for Israel has plummeted, while the share of Americans who describe antisemitism as a problem has risen, according to Gallup surveys.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, an advocacy organization, incidents of antisemitism have “skyrocketed” since 2023.
“The American Jewish community is facing a threat level that’s now unprecedented in modern history,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in 2024.
But, progressive Jewish groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, have accused the ADL of incorrectly defining antisemitism to include antizionism.
“This definition labels anyone opposed to the Israeli government’s oppression of Palestinians as antisemitic, making it harder to identify actual instances of antisemitism,” according to JVP.
More about
AntisemtismJD VanceTed CruzTrumpJoin our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments