U.S. Vice President JD Vance alleged that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had connections to Israeli and U.S. intelligence agencies, while also accusing Israel of attempting to undermine U.S. negotiations with Iran, comments that have drawn renewed attention to longstanding speculation surrounding Epstein and Washington’s Middle East policy.
Speaking in an interview with podcast host Joe Rogan, Vance said Epstein was “obviously” connected to Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, as well as U.S. intelligence agencies. He did not provide evidence to support the allegation or identify which U.S. agencies he was referring to.
Epstein, a financier who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, has long been the subject of speculation because of his extensive ties to prominent political, business and social figures. However, official investigations have not publicly concluded that he worked for Mossad, the CIA or any other intelligence service.
During the interview, Vance also accused Israel of attempting to derail U.S. diplomatic engagement with Iran.
He alleged that the Israeli government had devoted significant resources to discrediting American officials involved in negotiations with Tehran, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran following several days of military exchanges, including U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets and retaliatory Iranian attacks claimed by Tehran against U.S. military facilities in the region.
Vance’s comments quickly attracted attention across U.S. media and social media, where the Epstein case continues to generate intense public interest years after his death.
Epstein was accused of operating a large-scale sex trafficking network involving underage girls. His prosecution became one of the most high-profile criminal cases in the United States because of his associations with influential political leaders, business executives, celebrities and members of foreign royal families. His death in federal custody was officially ruled a suicide, although it has remained the subject of widespread public speculation.
Neither the Israeli government nor U.S. intelligence agencies had publicly responded to Vance’s allegations at the time of publication. The White House also had not issued additional clarification regarding the vice president’s remarks.
Vance’s comments are likely to intensify debate over both the Epstein investigation and U.S. policy toward Israel and Iran. However, no publicly available evidence has substantiated his claims regarding Epstein’s alleged intelligence ties.
