While visiting Rome with his family, US Vice President JD Vance met briefly with Pope Francis, but the meeting was very shortjust a few minutes long.
This comes amid ongoing tensions between the Vatican and the White House, especially over US policies on immigration and welfare cuts. Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, was eager to meet the Pope, but the Vatican was hesitant to approve a formal audience.
The short meeting happened Sunday morning at the Pope’s residence, Casa Santa Marta. According to the Vatican, it was just long enough for them to exchange Easter greetings. The Pope has openly criticized the US government in the past, especially its harsh stance on deportations, calling such actions “a disgrace.”
During his trip, Vance also attended Good Friday Mass and met other high-ranking Vatican officials. However, he has previously tried to use Catholic beliefs to defend the government’s strict immigration policies—something the Pope has publicly pushed back against through letters to American bishops.
Unlike Vance, outgoing President Joe Biden received a full official audience with the Pope back in December. This difference in treatment hasn’t gone unnoticed. Social media users interpreted the Pope’s short meeting with Vance as a subtle rejection. One user commented that the lack of a photo opportunity or blessing showed the Vatican was taking a clear stand. Another noted that Vance wasn’t given a private meeting and was instead addressed by a Vatican official—something seen as a pointed snub.
The Pope, who has been recovering from pneumonia that recently brought him close to death, kept a lower profile this Easter. Although he delegated parts of the Easter Mass, he made a brief public appearance from a balcony at St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the crowds and offer a blessing. In a message read by an aide, the Pope criticized countries that stir up hostility towards migrants and vulnerable people though he didn’t name any specific country.
Several senior Catholic leaders have also spoken out recently against US immigration policies. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said that while it’s important to be critical of policies that humiliate others, it’s also important to continue dialogue and not completely shut out those we disagree with pointing out that even Jesus spent time with people who didn’t share his values.
Overall, the Pope’s interactions and comments reflect ongoing concern from the Catholic Church about how migrants and the poor are being treated in global politics, including in the United States.
