Vice President JD Vance is a longtime Cincinnati Bengals fan to the extreme that he watched his team lose an AFC wild card game to the Pittsburgh Steelers – while he was serving in Iraq in January of 2006.

Well, on Wednesday, the Veep got a closer look of his favorite team when he visited at their training facility and watched parts of practice.

Vance toured the team's locker room, shook hands with several players, coach Zac Taylor and others, and came away with a football. It is unclear if Vance brought the ball to be autographed or the club gave it to him as a memento.

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The Trump administration is making a lot of campaign stops before the November 3 midterm elections and it seems athletes from all sports have been engaged and more than happy to tag along with the President and others.

• Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced the President at a New York event in May.
• Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas participated in Wisconsin event in June.
• Roger Clemens introduced Trump at a San Antonio rally earlier this month.
• Todd Gurley flew on Air Force One and appeared on stage at a Georgia rally this month.
• Danica Patrick took her turn on Air Force One this week as did Richard Petty.
• Baltimore Ravens players joined the President at one rally in Pennsylvania and even rode in his motorcade with him.

And Super Bowl winning coach Jon Gruden attended a Trump rally in Ohio.

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Wednesday, meanwhile, wasn't the Bengals following Vance around. It was a Bengals fan following the team he's loved since he was a boy.

The strange thing about this visit, though, was that Vance didn't interact with quarterback Joe Burrow, who is undoubtedly the biggest star on the team.

The two didn't talk at all.

"We did not," Burrow told reporters. "We did not. He came with everybody and left with swiftness and efficiency before the end of practice, so I didn't get to."

Burrow turned a question about what happened while Vance was at practice into a statement about himself.

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"Yeah, a lot of people, a lot of people around, you know, that's what I love about what I do is, it brings a lot of people together, and people want to take time out of their day to come and watch what we do, watch what I do, and watch all the work that I've put in to come and watch greatness, and that's everybody in the locker room," Burrow said.

"That's why we do what we do, and whether it's on the TV, whether it's in person, whether it's on the practice field, and that's what we do."

Yes, we now understand who Burrow believes the stars are when the vice president of the country visits.

Vance arrived in a motorcade befitting a world leader – six black SUVs, some police vehicles, and some motorcycle cops.

His SUV (mini-tank?) rolled past a back gate at the Kettering Health practice fields adjacent to Paycor Stadium.

Vance is a Middletown, Ohio native. He has a home in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood so he was obviously feeling quite at home when he arrived in town to deliver a speech at the FBI's Cincinnati Field Office and then hold a campaign rally at the Sharonville Convention Center.

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Vice President JD Vance sharply called out WNBA players in the league finals over skipping the national anthem during an interview Wednesday, calling them "disgraceful."

Players from both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries have left the court during the national anthem before the first two games of the WNBA Finals, despite a rule in the league’s own rulebook specifically calling for players to stand and line up during the performance.

"I think it's disgraceful," Vance told host Raymond Arroyo on "Arroyo Grande." "I think that you should not express some criticism of a public policy of a given politician by disrespecting the country writ large. I mean, those women who play for the WNBA, think of the public safety, think of the incredible wealth and privilege, the amazing jobs that they have. They have a lot to be grateful to the United States for, and I think that if they had a bit more of a spirit of gratitude, they'd be happier people, and they wouldn't offend so many people as well."

Vance also appeared to cite Saint Augustine’s idea of Ordo Amoris, a concept from Catholic thought that Vance cited in 2025 to defend administration deportation policies.

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"I've gotten some trouble talking about this, but I'll just talk about it again," Vance said. "One of the ways I understand the Catholic understanding is that we have various orders of duty, and you know, our closest and most immediate duty, of course, is to our family and to the people in our immediate circle. But we, of course, owe duties to the entire world. We owe duties to the stranger. But I also think a good and coherent understanding of the Christian self is that you are part of a national community."

He added, "Whether you were born in the United States or whether you came here by choice, this is your country. And I think that we're all meant to love it. We're all meant to try to make it the best version of itself. But fundamentally, I think, without love of country, I think that you're going to be a disordered human being."

Fox News Digital spoke to veteran GOP strategist Mary Marslender, who argued, like Vance, that the basketball players lack perspective on how great it is to live in the United States.

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"The WNBA players are treating a country that has given them extraordinary privileges as if it were an oppressor, while ignoring that American women enjoy rights and opportunities that remain rare or nonexistent for most women elsewhere," she said. "They seem to forget that a league like the WNBA exists and its players can publicly dissent without fear of state reprisal solely because of these rights and opportunities. If these activists hate this country that much, they are free to leave it. The rest of us are done with this disrespect."

Fox News Digital reached out to the WNBA, as well as the Women's National Basketball Players Association, and did not receive an immediate reply.

OutKick's Dan Zaksheske contributed to this report.

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Natasha Lyonne sparked debate over her political views after appearing to express a preference for President Donald Trump over Vice President JD Vance.

The "Russian Doll" actress reacted to a video showing a protester interrupting Vance and calling for the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Lyonne criticized Vance and said she preferred Trump to the vice president.

"Sketchy mofo - prefer trump - this s--- is even scarier - don’t really know how we arrived at this aesthetic as baseline normal, but c’est la dominoes, etc. Octavia Butler was a soothsayer. Grimey times," Lyonne wrote in response to the video.

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The 47-year-old actress' remark that she would "prefer Trump" prompted questions about her political views, with some social media users interpreting the comment as support for Trump and others suggesting she was simply expressing a preference for him over Vance.

Lyonne fueled further speculation Tuesday when she reposted a message from Trump thanking Elon Musk for pledging to donate SpaceX stock to millions of American children through Trump Accounts. She added four emojis — a rocket, a saluting face, a sun and a smiling face with sunglasses — without offering a written explanation.

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"Natasha Lyonne going full MAGA is depressing as hell," one user wrote.

Another commenter mocked the backlash, posting: "Natasha Lyonne drops four emojis on a Trump post and the left is already planning her cancellation. Tolerance at its finest."

One person said, "Everyone prefers Trump - we all voted for him." Meanwhile, another added, "Why is this controversial? Do you say people supporting Dems is controversial?"

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The posts drew conflicting interpretations from social media users, with some questioning Lyonne's apparent preference for Trump and others cautioning against assuming her political views solely from her posts.

One user wrote, "'Prefer Trump'? Why? ..."

Others questioned why the post was being interpreted as support for the president.

"How … are y'all reading this like she actually likes trump."

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Another commenter defended Lyonne, writing, "Can people on this app be normal for like five minutes … this is crazy, I feel like I’m going insane. Is everyone okay?"

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One user asked, "So is Natasha Lyonne MAGA now or am I misreading her posts?"

Lyonne replied with two words: "Not maga."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Lyonne and the White House for comment.

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Iran, recognizing surefire defeat in a kinetic war, is leaning in on an information warfare campaign to undermine the United States and Israel from within, according to Yuval David, a strategic U.S.-Israel geopolitical communications advisor.

"You cannot beat Israel or the United States in a physical kinetic war," David told Fox News Digital from Budapest, where he joined Israeli President Isaac Herzog for high-level diplomatic talks Wednesday, adding the warning of an "information warfare system."

"And that’s what’s going on with social media, with our devices and the people who are on TikTok and Instagram and Facebook and X and YouTube and all of the different social media platforms where the Islamic Republic of Iran is able to affect people’s minds."

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"One of the things that it does is it tries to create a rot from within the societies and, sadly, it’s very much succeeding in doing so," he added, stating that Iran's campaign has enjoyed "guidance from Russia and China."

David’s warning comes as Israel prepares for an election next week that analysts say could change its leadership but is unlikely to produce a fundamental shift in the country’s Iran policy.

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A Reuters analysis published Wednesday found that Iran will likely remain Israel’s chief adversary, with military force continuing to serve as the country’s preferred tool against its enemies. The report said Israel’s security doctrine is centered on confronting Iran, maintaining buffer zones beyond its borders and keeping military pressure on to deter threats.

A victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, backed by conservative coalition partners, could deepen Israel’s confrontation with Tehran, not bring about appeasement. Even an opposition-led government would likely share the same broad strategic outlook, David said.

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"The Islamic Republic of Iran is a massive concern for the world," David said. "Tehran does not fear another diplomatic statement. It fears an America and an Israel with the intelligence, military capabilities and political will to act together."

David said the U.S.-Israel alliance should not be judged by whether American leaders support the same Israeli candidate.

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"Presidents come and go, prime ministers come and go. America’s and Israel’s enemies do not take election years off," he said. "America doesn’t need to choose Israel’s prime minister, nor will it, nor can it, nor is it even trying to. America just needs a strong Israeli partner, whoever the Israelis elect."

Reuters has cited regional analysts who said Netanyahu’s re-election could allow him to pursue a more aggressive campaign against Iran, while Arab states remain wary of his policies but want Tehran’s influence contained.

David said Iran’s hostility toward the United States and Israel extends beyond the current conflict.

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"The Islamic Republic of Iran has been waging this ideological war against America and also against Israel and also against democracies around the world since 1979," he said. "The regime never stopped a war.

"Americans thought we have had a war, and then we didn't have a war. Then we had one. Then we didn't. Well, the Islamic Republic of Iran never ended that war. They've seen this as an ongoing war since 1979."

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He also framed U.S. support for Israel as a matter of serving American national security interests.

"America does not support Israel because Israel is helpless. America partners with Israel because Israel is capable," David said. "Supporting Israel’s security isn’t charity. It’s American strategic self-interest."

President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Netanyahu, contrasted with Vice President JD Vance’s decision to stay out of the race, reflects differing political approaches rather than a split over Iran or the U.S.-Israel alliance, according to David.

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"President Trump is endorsing Prime Minister Netanyahu – Vice President Vance is emphasizing American priorities, but supporting Israel’s security doesn’t require endorsing a particular Israeli politician," he concluded.

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"Trump is speaking to Israeli voters because that’s what Trump is able to do – Vance is speaking to American voters," David said. "Far too many Americans don’t realize both Trump and Vance know that Tehran is listening."

Vice President JD Vance said he isn't sure if he'd receive President Donald Trump's endorsement "right out the gate" if he were to run for president in 2028.

Vance expressed that uncertainty during a Monday interview with journalist Mark Halperin on his platform 2Way. The interview aired just weeks before the midterm elections, as Republicans and the White House are focused on maintaining control of Congress.

Vance emphasized that his top priority was the midterms and said he wasn't certain that a 2028 presidential run was in his future.

However, he said, "I think if I run, the president will endorse me."

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"Right away?" Halperin asked.

"I would think so, but I don’t know, man," Vance said. "I haven’t talked to him about it."

Halperin suggested it might be "weird" if Vance were to share with Trump his 2028 ambitions and for Trump to sit on an endorsement, a characterization that Vance pushed back on.

"No, I don’t think it’d be weird," Vance said. "Again, I think I would get his endorsement, but I also think there’s something to be said for people actually running their own race, and because the president’s endorsement is so dispositive, you could absolutely see a scenario where the president says, ‘You know what? We need to let, like, this race play out and not, like, preemptively prejudge the results.'"

Earlier in the conversation, Halperin brought up previous remarks by Vance in which he said that "whoever the president endorses for the Republican nomination will ultimately win the Republican primary."

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Vance said this is typically true of both the Democratic and Republican parties, but that Trump's endorsement is much more consequential because he first won the trust of everyday voters while Republican Party elites rejected him. Vance said Trump's endorsement signals to voters that a candidate is not beholden to the party's elite.

"That’s the person they say, ‘Okay, if Trump is with a guy, that must mean that the elites are against that guy," Vance said. "I think that Trump’s endorsement just carries more weight than any political endorsement in history because of that. Obviously, the voters are gonna decide. Donald Trump is only one vote of many, but I think his endorsement is still the most powerful."

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Vance's uncertainty over winning Trump's blessing comes after Trump previously teased pitting Vance against Secretary of State Marco Rubio for his endorsement in the 2028 presidential race. Trump called Vance and Rubio the "dream team," at a May Rose Garden Club event but has refused to say who would be at the top of the ticket.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Vice President JD Vance declined to endorse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reelection bid, saying he intends to stay out of Israel's election despite President Donald Trump throwing his support behind the Israeli leader.

During an interview Monday with Mark Halperin on "2WAY Tonight," Vance said his focus remains on U.S. candidates ahead of the midterms, Politico reported.

"The president has the most effective endorsement in American or international political history," Vance said. "I endorse American candidates, and that’s where I’m focused on in the midterms. So I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections."

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However, Vance made clear that his decision should not be interpreted as opposition to Netanyahu.

"I’m not anti-endorsing him. I’m not pro-endorsing him. I’m not getting involved in Israeli elections," the vice president added.

The comments come one day after Trump gave Netanyahu his "Complete and Total Endorsement" in a lengthy Truth Social post, praising the prime minister as a key U.S. ally and partner in confronting Iran.

"Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump wrote.

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Trump said Netanyahu had remained strong despite intense political pressure.

"Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel. BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!" Trump said.

Netanyahu quickly welcomed the president's backing, thanking Trump for what he called his "extraordinary endorsement."

"President Trump, my friend Donald — thank you for your extraordinary endorsement," he said. "Israel has never had a greater friend in the White House. Together we will never let Iran's regime get nuclear weapons. Thank you for your clarity, courage and unwavering support."

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Vance's decision to stay out of Israel's election comes after he reportedly waded into another foreign political contest earlier this year.

The vice president previously traveled to Hungary in April, where he campaigned alongside then-Prime Minister Viktor Orban shortly before Orban lost his reelection bid, according to Politico.

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The White House could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.