U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance dismissed criticism, asserting that the Vatican should focus only on moral issues. He called on the Vatican to "stay within its own bounds" and not interfere in U.S. politics after Pope Leo XIV condemned Donald Trump’s foreign policy. Vance also defended the controversy over an AI-generated image of Trump resembling Jesus, describing it as merely a "joke".
J.D. Vance, U.S. Vice President, told Fox News that he stands firmly behind President Donald Trump in responding to the Vatican’s criticism, stating that the Vatican should stop criticizing U.S. public policy.
The conflict arose after Pope Leo XIV publicly condemned Trump and his war policy on Iran. In response, Trump posted a fiery message on Truth Social, accusing the pope of "appeasing criminals" and "failing in foreign policy," adding that he does not want a spiritual leader opposing America’s invasion of Venezuela to combat drug trafficking.
Vance, a practicing Catholic himself, said this conflict is not new and that disagreements are normal. "In some cases, I think it’s better for the Vatican to focus solely on moral issues and matters within the Catholic Church, and let the U.S. president set America’s public policy," he said.
Beyond the dispute with the Vatican, Vance also defended Trump regarding the AI-generated image portraying Trump as Jesus Christ surrounded by supporters. He said the image was just a "joke," and that Trump deleted the post later because he realized many people did not understand his sense of humor.
However, Vance’s remarks sparked strong criticism from various religious groups. Catholics Vote Common Good issued a statement urging Vance to show respect to the pope, stating that "silence is complicity" in undermining the dignity of the Church.
Among evangelical groups—Trump’s main support base—religious leaders such as Willie Rice and Megan Basham condemned the AI image as "a serious blasphemy against God" and called on Trump to apologize to God.
On the X platform, many users demanded Vance’s resignation, labeling him a "fraud" and a "fake Catholic" who uses religion for political gain and personal profit, especially by promoting his new memoir titled Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.
Currently, the conflict between the Trump administration and the Vatican remains closely watched worldwide, with Vance seen as turning his back on the teachings of the Church he professes to follow in order to maintain his political position.