The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, responded to Pope Leo XIV’s criticisms of the war in Iran, in an exchange that reflects the tensions between the US Administration and the Pontiff. Vance defended the US bombings by appealing to historical references and rejected the stance expressed by the Pope.
During a speech to a conservative audience at the University of Georgia, Vance directly questioned the Pontiff’s words, who had stated that Christ’s disciples “are never on the side of those who wield the sword or launch bombs”.
References to World War II
In his response, the vice president resorted to a historical parallel to justify the US military action.
“Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis?”, Vance posed. “I firmly believe the answer is yes”.
Reactions from Trump and the Vatican
President Donald Trump also reacted to the Pope’s criticisms. In a social media post on Sunday, he described the Pontiff as “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy”.
For his part, Leo XIV has maintained his position against the war. On Monday, he told journalists that he has “no fear of the Trump Administration”. The next day, without directly referring to Iran or the US president, he posted on social media that “God’s heart is torn by wars, violence, injustice, and lies”.
Vance’s Position as a Catholic
During his speech, Vance pointed out that, just as political leaders must be careful when speaking about public policies, he also considered it important for the Pope to be so when addressing theological issues.
“To the same extent that it is important for the Vice President of the United States to be prudent when I speak about public policy matters, I believe it is very important for the Pope to be careful when he speaks about theological issues,” he stated.
Nevertheless, the vice president also expressed personal respect for the Pontiff, stating that he admires him and is not bothered by his intervention in current issues, even when he disagrees with his approach.