JD Vance confronts Vatican on immigration while steering Iran negotiations

U.S. Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized the Vatican’s stance on immigration, describing some of its statements as “troubling.” In a Fox News interview he said, “I do think that some of the things that have come out of the Vatican on the immigration question in particular have been troubling, and ultimately I disagree with it.” Vance added that he invites Catholic leaders to dialogue but stresses that “mass migration has victims.”

At the same time Vance has taken the lead on a high‑stakes diplomatic effort with Iran. He headed U.S. delegations to cease‑fire talks in Pakistan and subsequent meetings in Switzerland after a U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding. Vance defended the talks as being conducted “from a position of strength,” noting recent U.S. airstrikes had weakened Iran’s naval capabilities and that the administration is leveraging military gains for diplomacy.

Rubio, the Secretary of State, has taken a quieter role and expressed more skepticism toward the Iran deal, while supporting Israel on the Lebanon front. Both officials deny any internal rift, and the White House emphasizes that the administration remains unified behind President Trump’s goal of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Their differing approaches are being watched as part of the emerging 2028 Republican presidential contest, with both seen as potential successors to Trump.