American Vice President JD Vance urges the Vatican to focus on moral issues, following the tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV.

American Vice President JD Vance, converted to Catholicism in 2019, stated that the Vatican should limit itself to moral issues, in the context of tense exchanges between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV. In an interview with Fox News, Vance claimed that it would be better for the Vatican to let the President of the United States set American policy.

The statements come after Trump criticized the Pope, stating that he is not a "big fan" of the first American Pope, following a speech by the Sovereign Pontiff about the War in Iran. Trump accused the Pope of supporting the Iranian nuclear weapons program and opposing American actions in Venezuela.

In response, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the moral duty of the Catholic Church to promote peace and stated that he is not afraid of the Trump administration. Trump also mentioned that he does not intend to apologize to the Pope, whom he described as "very weak".