Vice President Vance Expresses Gratitude to Pope for Clarifying Remarks
Vice President JD Vance publicly thanked Pope Leo XIV on Saturday for comments that appeared to ease diplomatic tensions with President Donald Trump. The pontiff made these statements while traveling to Angola as part of his ongoing Africa tour, addressing recent media narratives and clarifying his position on international conflicts.
Pope's Clarification on Media Narratives and War Stance
During his journey, Pope Leo XIV remarked that international media had promoted 'a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects.' He emphasized that his consistent opposition to war extends beyond the specific conflict in Iran to armed conflicts in general. The pontiff specifically clarified that his Thursday remarks in Cameroon about 'a handful of tyrants' spending billions on war were not directed at President Trump.
Additionally, Pope Leo XIV revealed that his speech had been prepared two weeks prior, 'well before the president ever commented on myself and the message of peace that I am promoting.' This timeline clarification aimed to dispel notions that his comments were reactive to Trump's criticisms.
Vance's Response and Acknowledgment of Differences
Vice President Vance, who identifies as Catholic, expressed appreciation for this clarification while acknowledging genuine policy disagreements between the administration and the Vatican. 'I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict–and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated,' Vance wrote on the social media platform X.
He elaborated further, stating: 'Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day. The President – and the entire administration – work to apply those moral principles in a messy world. He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we'll be in his.'
Background of the Trump-Pope Feud
The tension between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV began last week when the pontiff condemned Trump's warning that 'a whole civilization will die tonight' if Iran failed to meet his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On April 7, Pope Leo XIV stated: 'Today, as we all know, there was this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable. People want peace. I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities - political leaders, congressmen - to ask them to work for peace.'
The pope also criticized attacks on civilian infrastructure as being 'against international law,' referencing Trump's previous threats to destroy bridges and power plants in Iran.
Trump's Escalation and Controversial Posts
On April 12, President Trump responded with a lengthy Truth Social post accusing Pope Leo XIV of being 'WEAK on crime' and 'terrible for Foreign Policy.' Trump wrote: 'I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do.'
The following day, Trump escalated the situation by posting an AI-generated image depicting himself in red-and-white robes, appearing to heal the sick in a manner reminiscent of biblical accounts of Jesus. The commander in chief quickly deleted the post after it prompted strong backlash from Catholics and even some religious MAGA supporters. When questioned about the image, Trump claimed he thought it 'was me as a doctor.'
Vance's Defense of Trump and Theological Commentary
As Trump's vice president, Vance came to his defense throughout this diplomatic debacle. During a Turning Point USA event on Tuesday in Athens, Georgia, Vance suggested the pontiff should 'be careful when he talks about matters of theology.' He clarified that he doesn't object to religious leaders commenting on public policy issues but emphasized the importance of theological accuracy.
Vance also referenced just war theory, the philosophical concept that armed conflict can be justified under specific criteria such as self-defense or preventing aggression. He questioned whether God would have supported Americans who liberated Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II, drawing historical parallels to contemporary conflicts.
Regarding Trump's controversial AI-generated image, Vance characterized it as 'a joke' during a Fox News interview on Monday. He explained that Trump removed the post independently 'because he recognized that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humor.'
The vice president's comments reflect an attempt to balance respect for religious authority with political loyalty, acknowledging substantive policy differences while working to de-escalate diplomatic tensions between the White House and Vatican.
