
As US President Donald Trump continues to defend his administration's military strategy in Iran, the Catholic Church's leader, Pope Leo XIV, has amplified calls for peace. Into this tense exchange stepped Vice President JD Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult and calls himself deeply religious.
Speaking at a Turning Point USA rally in Georgia on 14 April 2026, Vance issued what amounted to a theological lesson to the Holy Father. Vance warned that Pope Leo has to be 'careful' and 'make sure it's anchored in the truth' when he talks about matters of doctrine.