Pope Leo XIV has voiced his disapproval towards both Vance and Trump, expressing his views publicly through published articles.
Fresh and Straightforward Take:
In the lead-up to his papal election, Chicago-born Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) had a bone to pick with Vice President J.D. Vance—especially when it came to immigration matters, often referencing President Donald Trump's stance. On X, February 3, 2025, Pope Leo XIV unleashed a post linked to an article on National Catholic Reporter, questioning Vance's interpretation of Christian love to justify harsh immigration policies.
Vance, after converting to Catholicism in 2019, put forward the "ordo amoris" theory, suggesting a Christian's charity centrally benefits their group and citizens, before giving to foreigners. This viewpoint clashed with Pope Francis' earlier critique of nationalist ideologies.
Fast-forward to April, and the new Pope issued yet another X post, connecting to a piece penned by Bishop Evelio Menjivar, a Washington-based clergyman of Salvadoran descent, who strongly opposed the U.S. expulsion policies[2].
In the past few years, Prevost's X activity has been sporadic, merely reposting messages or linking to sites. Once, on September 4, 2017, he took a swipe at Trump's "bad hombres" comment, revealing concerns over the term fueling racism and nativism.
Predictably, this Pope-slam didn't sneak past Laura Loomer, a far-right personality said to be influential with Trump. Hopping on X, Loomer bashed the "woke" and "marxist" Pope Leo XIV.
Even before seizing the Papal throne, Leo XIV was no fansie of Vance's polarizing views, particularly in terms of faith and immigration[2]. Despite Trump's excitement over Leo XIV's election, the Pope-in-waiting took positions in conflict with Trump-endorsed figures like Vance on topics pertaining to immigration and ethical Christian teachings[2].
- Pope Leo XIV, during his papal campaign, criticized Vice President J.D. Vance's stance on immigration, often drawing parallels with President Donald Trump's policies.
- In contrast to Vance's "ordo amoris" theory, which prioritizes a Christian's charity towards their group and citizens before foreigners, Pope Leo XIV's doctrines emphasize broaderimmigration policies rooted in Christian love.
- Following his election, Pope Leo XIV confirmed his policy-and-legislation priorities revolve around advocating for immigrants, a stance that has generated controversy in politics and general news.
- The Pope's focus on immigration has put him at odds with figures like far-right personality Laura Loomer, who has been critical of Leo XIV's stance on the issues, labeling him "woke" and "marxist."