Pope Leo clashes with US Vice President JD Vance amid Trump feud

Pope Leo has openly criticized U.S. immigration policies, the war in Iran and the treatment of migrants, asserting that "the dignity of migrants had to be respected" and stating he has "no fear" of President Donald Trump's attacks. Vice President JD Vance, the United States' second Catholic vice president, told USA TODAY that he "welcomes the Vatican's engagement on these issues even where we disagree," while also urging the Pope to focus on moral matters rather than politics. The pope’s remarks have intensified a high‑profile dispute with Trump, who has labeled the pontiff "weak on crime" and posted an AI‑generated image of himself as Jesus, accusing Leo of supporting Iran's nuclear ambitions. Vance, meanwhile, has defended the Vatican’s role in humanitarian debates but warned that religious leaders are not equipped to set public policy.

The conflict underscores a broader tension between the Vatican’s moral stance and the Trump administration’s hard‑line immigration and foreign‑policy agenda, with Vance positioned between the two as a potential future presidential candidate.