Vance Tells Pope Leo to Avoid Political Fights With US

Vice President JD Vance is emphasizing a clear separation between religious leadership and the US government, saying the Vatican should not be involved in shaping American political decisions.

Speaking in a Fox News interview on Monday, Vance argued that Pope Leo XIV should focus primarily on moral guidance and the internal workings of the Catholic Church, while President Trump remains responsible for directing US policy. The comments come as Vance, a Catholic convert who is preparing a book on his faith, responds to growing public debate over the relationship between the administration and Catholic leaders.

Vance also pushed back on criticism from Christian voices who reacted strongly to President Trump’s recent social media posts aimed at the pope, including one in which Trump described Leo as “weak on crime.” The exchange has added to already rising tensions between the Trump administration and sections of the Catholic leadership.

Several Catholic figures have criticized administration policies, including mass deportations, and have described the US stance and messaging around the war involving Iran as unjust and dehumanizing. Pope Leo XIV himself has been outspoken on the conflict and said Monday that he has “no fear of the Trump administration,” adding that he intends to continue speaking publicly on global issues.

Vance said disagreements between Catholic leaders and political officials are “totally reasonable,” but argued that Catholics are bound by papal authority on matters of faith and church doctrine, not political decision-making. He compared that distinction to John F. Kennedy’s 1960 position that elected leaders should not take policy instructions from the Vatican.

The vice president also addressed controversy around an AI-generated image shared by President Trump that depicted him in a Jesus-like pose, calling it a joke that many people misunderstood.

President Trump has declined to apologize for his comments directed at the pope. He said that since Pope Leo “went public,” he is simply responding to what was said.