Vice President JD Vance intervened in an extraordinary diplomatic rift Monday, advising Pope Leo XIV to “stick to matters of morality” after President Donald Trump launched a scathing rhetorical broadside against the first American pontiff.
The friction highlights a deepening divide between the White House and the Holy See over U.S. foreign policy, specifically regarding military engagements in Iran and Venezuela.
During a Monday interview on Fox News, Vance, 41, addressed the President’s recent criticisms of the 70-year-old pontiff. Vance, a high-profile Catholic convert, suggested that the Vatican should narrow its focus.
“I certainly think that in some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality,” Vance told Special Report anchor Bret Baier. He argued that the Church should focus on internal ecclesiastical matters while letting the President “stick to dictating American public policy.”
While acknowledging that conflicts between the two leaders are inevitable, Vance downplayed the severity of the tension. “I don’t worry too much about it, Bret,” he added, even as he predicted future disagreements.
The Vice President’s comments followed a Sunday night tirade from President Trump on Truth Social. The 79-year-old commander-in-chief labeled Pope Leo XIV “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Trump’s grievances centered on the Vatican’s opposition to U.S. military actions.
- On Iran: Trump rejected the Pope’s concerns over nuclear proliferation, stating he does not want a pontiff who “thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”
- On Venezuela: The President defended recent American strikes against the nation, claiming the Holy See’s criticism ignores the flow of drugs and criminals into the U.S.
“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,” Trump wrote.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert F. Prevost in Chicago, remained resolute. Speaking to reporters on Monday, the pontiff asserted he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and would continue his mission to speak out against the “suffering” caused by war.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(748x222:750x224):format(webp)/pope-leo-xiv-041326-4120022658ff4b2c96785dbd68964af6.jpg)
“I will continue on what I believe is the mission of the church in the world today,” the Pope stated, specifically citing the ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran. “Someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.”
The controversy coincides with Vance’s preparation for the summer release of his spiritual memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.
The Vice President also defended the President’s decision to post an AI-generated image depicting Trump as a Christ-like figure. While Trump later claimed the image showed him as a doctor, Vance dismissed the move as a “joke” that some simply failed to understand.
As the 2026 midterm cycle approaches, the public fracture between the American-led White House and the American-born Pope presents a unique challenge for the administration’s Catholic outreach.
