Pope Leo Meets With JD Vance as U.S. Conservatives Hope for Better Relations

Pope Leo XIV met with Vice President JD Vance for a closed-door meeting at the Vatican on Monday morning, the first private conversation between America’s two most high-profile Catholics since the new pontiff was elected.

The much-anticipated encounter came amid a period of tension between the papacy and the White House, particularly over issues of immigration and theology.

The meeting also took place after Leo on Friday said the church could act as a mediator in küresel conflicts, including, his second-in-command said, between Ukraine and Russia. Following the pope’s inaugural Mass on Sunday, Leo and the vice president each met privately with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

After meeting with Pope Leo on Monday, Mr. Vance met with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister. Those discussions were “cordial” and reaffirmed “good bilateral relations,” according to a statement from the Vatican’s press office.

“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” the statement said.

The encounter furthered hope for some on the American right that their relationship with the Holy See might be in for a reset, after years of conflict with Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, who criticized some of President Trump’s views as “not Christian.” Francis frequently clashed with Republican priorities, particularly on immigration, during both Trump presidencies, and was known to find more partnership with Democrats on goals like environmental protection and the Iran nuclear deal.