A new political memoir has revealed a startling allegation from the 2024 US presidential campaign, claiming that members of Vice President Kamala Harris's team questioned whether a potential running mate was acting as a spy for Israel.
Explosive Claims from the Vetting Process
In his forthcoming book, Where We Keep the Light, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro writes that during the vice presidential selection process for the Democratic ticket, he was subjected to intense and unusual questioning. Shapiro, who is Jewish and was a top contender for the role, alleges that Harris's vetting team directly asked him: "Had I been a double agent for Israel?"
According to excerpts seen by The New York Times, Shapiro described his surprise at the line of inquiry, which occurred as Harris weighed her choice of running mate. His name was on a shortlist alongside Senator Mark Kelly and the eventual selection, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The team, he claims, also probed whether he had ever communicated with an undercover Israeli agent.
Shapiro recounts his retort: "If they were undercover, I responded, how the hell would I know?" He later conceded that the questioner, former White House counsel Dana Remus, was likely "just doing her job." However, he added that he believed the episode "said a lot about some of the people around the VP."
Divergent Accounts and Ideological Scrutiny
The memoir, also previewed by The Atlantic, details further friction. Shapiro bemoans that the team's questions shifted from substantive policy to his ideology, particularly regarding Israel. He says they pressed him on whether he would temper his fierce criticisms of student protesters demonstrating against Israeli actions in Gaza, a position he refused to soften.
"It nagged at me that their questions weren’t really about substance," Shapiro wrote. "Rather, they were questioning my ideology, my approach, my world view."
He also suggests Harris herself expressed a deep dislike for the vice president's role, noting its lack of authority, the absence of a private bathroom in the office, and how her chief of staff would be the one giving directions to the number two.
These claims stand in stark contrast to Harris's own memoir, 107 Days. In her account, she portrays Shapiro as overly ambitious for the role, alleging he had a "lack of discretion" and would want to be involved in every decision, raising her "nagging concern" that he would be "unable to settle for a role as number two."
Aftermath and the Road to 2028
When confronted with Harris's version of events in December 2025, Shapiro delivered a furious rebuttal to The Atlantic, calling her accounts "complete and utter b*****t" and "blatant lies." He maintains his remarks were "analyzed, misrepresented, and picked apart" by her team.
Harris and Joe Biden ultimately lost the 2024 election to Donald Trump in a landslide. At the time, many political analysts criticised the decision to pass over Shapiro, given his position as governor of the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania.
This public airing of grievances sets the stage for a potentially contentious future. Both Harris and Shapiro are considered leading candidates for the Democratic nomination in the 2028 presidential race, with recent polling showing Harris as the current frontrunner, though California Governor Gavin Newsom is gaining support.
