Ben Shapiro criticizes JD Vance over Israel and Epstein comments

Jul 17, 2026

A public rift on the right, as conservative commentator Ben Shapiro attacks Vice President JD Vance for remarks Vance made on Joe Rogan's show.

  • Vance said a foreign influence campaign, funded from abroad, was paying US influencers to attack a deal he was pursuing, and told those critics to "go to hell."
  • Shapiro called Vance's claims conspiracy theories and "dumb," defending Wall Street and saying the US economy is not rigged.
  • Vance argued that offshored jobs and a finance-driven economy have pushed young people toward socialism, and that Republicans must show the American dream is still reachable.
  • The third fight is over Epstein: Vance suggested ties to US and Israeli intelligence, and Shapiro demanded he release evidence instead of talking.
  • The clash shows a generational split on the right, with younger Republicans more skeptical of US support for Israel.

Outlook: Expect the Vance-Shapiro feud over Israel, the economy, and Epstein to keep widening the divide between old-guard and populist conservatives.

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