Vance Tells Joe Rogan Epstein Had Ties to Israeli 'Deep State' and US Intelligence
Vice President JD Vance said in a podcast interview released Wednesday that Jeffrey Epstein "seemed to be connected" to elements of the Israeli "deep state" as well as the highest levels of American intelligence, while also acknowledging the Trump administration mishandled communications around the Epstein files.
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| Vice President JD Vance arrives at an event at the Wisconsin Air National Guard facility at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on July 8, 2026. |
What Vance Actually Said
Nearly two hours into the nearly three hour interview, host Joe Rogan told Vance that most people believe Epstein was connected to Mossad. Vance responded that Epstein "clearly had connections to the highest levels of Israeli intelligence" and American intelligence alike, according to Al Jazeera's account of the exchange. He went further, claiming Epstein's Israeli ties skewed toward the political left rather than the right, a distinction he called personally fascinating.
Rogan: Most people think Epstein was Mossad.
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) July 15, 2026
Vance: "Ya. Mossad or CIA or some other deep state, whether in America or Israel…He clearly had connections to the highest levels of American intelligence. He clearly had connections to the highest level of Israeli intelligence." pic.twitter.com/sdnI5XIlUf
Vance also conceded there is no documentary evidence tying Epstein to any intelligence agency, American or foreign, though he added that if such evidence existed it likely wouldn't have survived to 2026, according to the Jerusalem Post's report on the interview.
No Evidence, and a Prior Denial
No evidence has surfaced supporting Vance's claim. Naftali Bennett, Israel's former prime minister, publicly denied last year that Epstein worked for Israel or its intelligence services. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also weighed in previously, writing in February that Epstein's close relationship with former Defense Minister Ehud Barak "doesn't suggest Epstein worked for Israel" but rather "proves the opposite."
What the Epstein Files Show
The Justice Department released 3.5 million Epstein related files in January 2026. None explicitly confirm he was an intelligence asset, though an FBI memo from 2020 recorded a source's belief that Epstein was a "co opted Mossad agent" trained as a spy. The files also documented extensive email correspondence between Epstein and Barak, as well as Mossad veteran Yoni Koren, and showed Epstein's foundation donated to Israeli organizations including Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and the Jewish National Fund.
Vance Also Addressed Bondi and Iran
Vance defended former Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was fired in April after falsely claiming an Epstein "client list" was sitting on her desk. "I know Pam. I like Pam. I don't think there was anything malicious going on," Vance said, per Al Jazeera. He said the administration "absolutely screwed up the comms," but denied it stemmed from an attempt to hide anything.
The vice president used the same interview to accuse Israeli linked money of funding attacks against his Iran ceasefire negotiations, telling Rogan he represents "Americans first," according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's reporting. The Rogan interview had drawn more than a million YouTube views within 24 hours, and clips of the Epstein exchange spread widely across social media, reviving years old speculation about Epstein's intelligence connections.