US Vice President JD Vance publicly warned Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday to “be careful” when speaking about theology, in the latest escalation of the rift between the Trump administration and the Vatican over the Iran war.
Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, Vance — himself a Catholic who met Pope Leo in May — took issue with the pontiff’s statement that Jesus “is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”
“Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated Holocaust camps?” Vance argued. “I certainly think the answer is yes.”
Vance said he values the Pope’s commentary on abortion, immigration, and “matters of war and peace” but insisted: “If you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve got to be careful.”
The intervention marks a third act in the Trump-Vatican standoff. President Trump earlier called Pope Leo “WEAK on crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy” after the pontiff denounced the Iran war. The Pope responded that he has “no fear” of the Trump administration.
The diplomatic friction carries particular significance for Sri Lanka, as Pope Leo invited President Dissanayake on a state visit to the Vatican in March 2026.
