Vice President JD Vance urged Pope Leo XIV to exercise caution when discussing theology during a speech at a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday. The Catholic convert, who met the pope last May, responded to the pontiff's recent social media post criticizing military action.

Vance referenced Pope Leo XIV's April 10 statement on X, where the pope declared, "God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs." The vice president argued this view contradicted the Catholic tradition of just war theory, which spans more than 1,000 years. "I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology," Vance said. "If you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve got to be careful. You’ve got to make sure it’s anchored in the truth."

To illustrate his point, Vance invoked World War II. "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?" he asked the crowd. "I certainly think the answer is yes." He welcomed papal input on issues like abortion, immigration, and war, but stressed the need for theological precision.

The remarks came amid escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Vatican. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Easter Sunday, April 5, prompting Pope Leo to call the action "unacceptable" two days later. Trump later announced a ceasefire, which the pope praised, but friction persisted. On April 12, Trump posted on Truth Social that the pope was "WEAK on Crime" and "terrible for Foreign Policy," accusing him of opposing U.S. actions against Venezuela's drug flows and prison releases. Trump also shared and then deleted an AI-generated image depicting himself in a Christ-like pose, later claiming it showed him as a physician.

Pope Leo XIV responded that he had "no fear of the Trump administration" and aimed to proclaim the Gospel as a peacemaker. The day before Vance's speech, he appeared on Fox News advising the Vatican to "stick to matters of morality" while leaving public policy to the president.

Vance faced heckling during the event. One protester shouted, "Jesus Christ does not support genocide!" Vance agreed before addressing the Pope's words. Another interruption prompted him to say, "Hey, random dude screaming, I told you I'd respond to your point!"

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, became the first American pontiff on May 8, 2025, following Pope Francis's death the prior month. No response from the Vatican to Vance's comments has emerged as of Wednesday afternoon. The exchange highlights divides between U.S. conservative Catholics and the Holy See on foreign policy and the role of force.