US Vice President JD Vance has defended Trump administration's Gaza policy, blamed former Biden administration for 'catastrophe' in besieged Palestinian enclave and recognised that "young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East."
Vice, who was speaking at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia late on Tuesday, was interrupted about 10 minutes into the event, when an audience member shouted "Jesus Christ does not support genocide!" Another participant yelled: "You’re killing children! You’re bombing children!", highlighting anger in the US over the country's pro-Israel policy.
"I certainly think the answer is yes, and I agree Jesus Christ does not. I agree. Jesus Christ certainly does not support genocide. Whoever yelled that out from the dark ... He certainly does not. I think that's pretty easy. I think that's a pretty easy principle," Vance replied.
The audience responded with "boos" as Vance attempted to continue his remarks, at one point asking the person to allow him to finish before responding.
"To respond to this guy here. I believe he said, 'the (Trump) administration supports a genocide in Gaza.' And here's my response to that, when we came in, the humanitarian situation in Gaza was an absolute catastrophe. You know, who's the person who got a peace agreement in Gaza? Donald J. Trump! Vance argued.
"So, if you want to complain about what happened in Gaza, so if you want, sir, to complain about what happened in Gaza, why don't you complain about Joe Biden and the last administration? We're the administration that solved that problem."
The US has long been criticised for providing monetary and military support to Israel in its genocide in Gaza, where more than 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since October 7, 2023.
Experts, however, contend that the actual death toll significantly exceeds what the Gaza authorities have reported, estimating it could be around 200,000.
A ceasefire was reached in October 2025, but Israeli violations have been frequent. Tel Aviv has killed over 760 Palestinians, wounded another 2100 and reportedly breached the truce over 2400 times.
A significant portion of Gaza remains under Israeli occupation, while 90 percent of its infrastructure has destroyed by Israeli bombardment with UN estimates placing reconstruction costs at about $70 billion.
Several American lawmakers have demanded the US government to stop supplying weapons to Israel and being complicit in Israel's genocide in Gaza.
Since October 2023, the US government has allocated billions in aid and arms transfers to Israel. Washington usually allocates $3.8 billion in annual military funding to its long-standing ally Israel.
Vance on young voters
The disruption occurred as Vance was defending the administration’s foreign policy approach under President Donald Trump.
Vance, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, seemed to sympathise with Republican voters critical of a US-Israeli war on Iran.
"I recognise that young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East, OK," he said. "I understand."
Vance posited that American conservatives, unhappy with US war on Iran, should back President Trump due to his track record on Republican priorities, such as immigration.
"I also know that we've secured the border. We've lowered housing prices now for eight months in a row, and there's going to be more to come beyond that. We've made America energy dominant, which has lowered electricity costs and things like that. We've made it so that we have the lowest murder rate in 127 years."
Vance added: "I am not saying you to have to agree with me on every issue. What I am saying is: Don’t get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic. Get more involved, make your voice heard even more. That is how we ultimately take the country back."
Last week, Vance led the US delegation to Pakistan, where he held direct talks with Iranian officials to permanently end the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on February 28, but an agreement could not be reached.
Efforts are ongoing for further talks. US broadcaster CNN reported that Vance may lead the next round with Iranian officials.
On Tuesday, Trump suggested that talks could resume in Pakistan in the next two days.
Both the US and Iran have reportedly proposed a suspension in Iranian uranium enrichment, but cannot settle on a timeframe.
The US also wants the dismantling of Iran’s major nuclear enrichment facilities and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which US has blocked for ships leaving Iranian ports.
