The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, has reacted to the recent statements by Pope Leo XIV on war and peace with a social media message in which he expressed his recognition to the Pontiff and emphasized the complexity of the international context.
Vance thanks the words of Pope Leo XIV
In a message published on his official account, Vance stated: “I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. Although the media narrative constantly generates conflict—and yes, there have been and will be real disagreements—the reality is usually much more complex”.
The US vice president thus referred to the interpretations that have arisen around the Pope’s words, in a context in which some media had raised the existence of tensions between the Holy See and the US administration.
Read also: Leo distances himself from the press that interprets all his words as a clash with Trump
Distinction between the role of the Pope and that of the Government
In his message, Vance also pointed out the difference between the role of the Pontiff and that of political authorities. “Pope Leo preaches the Gospel, as he should, and that inevitably implies that he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the moment,” he stated.
At the same time, he added that “the president—and the entire administration—works to apply those moral principles in a complex world,” in reference to the Government’s work in the political and security sphere.
A message in a conciliatory tone
The vice president concluded his statement with a personal reference to the Pope: “He will be in our prayers, and I hope we are in his”.
This statement comes after the previous statements by Vance on Catholic doctrine regarding the legitimate use of force, as well as after Pope Leo XIV himself clarified that his words should not be interpreted as a confrontation with the President of the United States.