Republican Representative Randy Fine of Florida launched a blistering attack on Vice President JD Vance Friday morning, labeling his recent remarks toward Israel as “absolutely inappropriate and frankly disgusting.” The criticism came a day after Vance, during a White House press briefing, warned Israeli leaders against publicly opposing the Trump administration’s new memorandum of understanding with Iran.
Speaking on the conservative network Real America’s Voice, Fine took direct aim at Vance’s tone. “I thought JD’s comments yesterday were absolutely inappropriate and frankly disgusting,” he said, reflecting a growing unease among some GOP figures over the administration’s handling of the Israel-Iran conflict.
Vance had rebuked Israeli officials for criticizing the MOU signed by President Trump on Wednesday, which initiates a 60-day window for peace negotiations and includes a halt to hostilities with Lebanon. “If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” Vance stated, prompting backlash from pro-Israel conservatives.
Fine, who is Jewish, suggested the vice president needed a history lesson. “The state of Israel was not created by the United States,” he said. “It is not funded by the United States, except in some small way. It was created in the blood and sweat and tears of the Jewish people rising out of the Holocaust.” His comments echo a broader frustration among some Republicans who see the administration as overly critical of Israel at a time when it faces ongoing threats from Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The rift within the GOP is becoming more pronounced as the 60-day clock ticks on the Iran deal. Vance has defended the MOU as a necessary step toward de-escalation, but critics argue it emboldens Iran while pressuring Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Friday that the Israel Defense Forces struck Hezbollah targets Thursday evening following what he described as a “heinous attack” from the militant group.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that any ceasefire with the U.S. hinges on a halt to fighting between Israel and Lebanon. Vance, during his Thursday briefing, expressed frustration with the cycle of violence. “What the president has grown frustrated, sometimes, is that we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden there’s a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That’s not acceptable,” he said.
Vance’s stance has drawn sharp rebukes beyond Fine. Fox News host Brian Kilmeade said he was “shocked” by the vice president’s criticism of Israel, adding, “I wish he would be that tough with Iran.” Former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich also weighed in, questioning why Israel is being blamed for defending itself. “Iran funds and arms Hezbollah, encourages them to kill Israelis in Israel and then blames Israel for defending its own citizens,” Gingrich wrote on social media. “We should be focusing our anger on the Iranian dictatorship not on a democracy fighting to protect its citizens.”
The backlash highlights a deepening party split over how to balance Trump’s push for a deal with Iran and unwavering support for Israel. As the administration moves forward with the 60-day negotiation period, Vance’s comments may further alienate pro-Israel conservatives who view the MOU as a concession to Tehran.
