LAS VEGAS — Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to speak Monday at the annual gathering of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) in Las Vegas, according to multiple reports. The appearance, which was to be closed to the news media, comes at a time of heightened concern about antisemitism and the S. relationship with Israel.

Concerns about antisemitism have surged across the political spectrum ahead of the midterm elections, with Republicans eager to portray Democrats as hostile toward Jews and Israel. However, Republicans are also dealing with their own internal schisms, including tensions over Vance's views and associations.

Vance suggested last month that some Israeli officials have sought to manipulate S. public opinion in order to prolong the war with Iran. In June, he sharply criticized members of Israel's government for opposing President Donald Trump's efforts to resolve the conflict. "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally I have left," Vance said at the time. In July, on podcaster Joe Rogan's show, Vance said elements of the Israeli government had tried to influence American sentiment to derail negotiations, claiming that "there are some people within their system that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt are manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely."

There is also lingering concern over Vance's failure to disavow Tucker Carlson, a conservative commentator who last year hosted antisemite Nick Fuentes for a friendly conversation. That issue was a major focus at the RJC's 2025 summit, where signs reading "Tucker is not MAGA" were handed out, and college students waved red signs with the same message. Bruce Pearl, the Auburn University men's basketball coach who has emerged as a prominent pro-Israel conservative, previously said Vance would need to reject Carlson to receive his support. "If he maintains that connection to that antisemite, I think that's going to be bad for antisemitism, because he will bring a lot of Tucker Carlsons with him," Pearl said in June.

Terry Platt, a Republican Jewish Coalition member from New York, expressed the discomfort felt by some attendees. "There's a sentiment here of some discomfort over the vice president speaking. Some people are disappointed," Platt said. "We're confused about his true sentiments."

Vance is widely considered a frontrunner for the Republican nomination to succeed President Donald Trump in 2028. He has expressed support for Israel but, unlike Trump, has been viewed as more equivocal or skeptical toward the longtime ally. A number of Jewish Republicans and major GOP donors have indicated they would rather support Marco Rubio for the presidential nomination in 2028, according to the Jerusalem Post. Multiple donors told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency during last year's conference that they would not support Vance.

The summit is being held at the Venetian Resort, which is owned by the Adelson family, a major backer of Trump and various Jewish and Israeli causes. An RJC spokesperson said, "The Republican Jewish Coalition is proud to welcome Vice President JD Vance to our National Leadership Summit in Las Vegas," adding that "JD Vance is a friend who is coming back after first joining us in 2022 as a candidate for the US Senate." Vance is listed as a speaker during a Monday evening session closed to press, and a spokesperson confirmed he will speak in a "fireside chat."

S. Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan also spoke at the summit on Sunday, saying, "We need a country where elected officials stand proudly with the Jewish community. That is the work, and it begins before we leave this room."

The context of the summit is notable given that last year's event was planned as a celebration of the Trump administration's work to return Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the war began. Instead, it became a days-long condemnation of antisemitism within conservative ranks, sparked by the refusal of Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts to distance the think tank from Carlson after he hosted Fuentes.

An AP-NORC poll released in July found that roughly half of Democrats believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians, and support for Israel has eroded in the United States, more dramatically among Democrats. Younger Republicans are more likely than their older counterparts to say the S. is too supportive of Israel, a divide that has been disconcerting for some influential Jewish conservatives, who have used the annual summits to push back on antisemitism.