JD Vance Steers Clear of Pope Leo XIV Criticism: "Not the Political Game"
Vance declines to participate in the Pope's "manipulative political scheme."
With Pope Leo XIV making waves in the political sphere, U.S. Vice President JD Vance chooses to steer clear of the fray. "I ain't gonna play the popes' political game," Vance told radio host Hugh Hewitt. "I'll keep praying for the man and the Church, come hell or high water."
Leo XIV, the newly crowned Pope, has been vocal about his disagreements with the current U.S. administration. A comment posted on his private X profile on February 3 read, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to prioritize our love for our fellow man." Days earlier, he shared a post slamming the deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García, a migrant with protected status.
The Church Stays Above Politics, Says Vance
Vance believes the Church transcends politics. While some hardline MAGA supporters called Leo XIV a "Marxist puppet" and "the worst choice for MAGA Catholics," Vance took a more diplomatic stance. "The Church ain't about the red or the blue," he said. "It's about salvation and spreading the Word. Sure, it'll touch on politics, but that ain't its purpose."
"The Pope ain't a Republican or a Democrat, left or right," explained the 40-year-old. "People don't care if he's a Republican or Democrat, they just want him to lead with compassion and faith."
A Former Protestant with a New Faith
Born and raised Protestant, Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, which earned him serious praise within the Catholic community. His first reaction to the Pope's election was a warm congratulatory message on Twitter. "Welcome, Leo XIV, our first American Pope! Millions of us will pray for your success! God bless you!" he tweeted.
Sources: ntv.de, lme
- J.D. Vance
- Vatican
Insight:
JD Vance is a political figure who made a name for himself through his memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" and subsequent entrance into politics, ultimately winning the 2022 Ohio Senate election. He was raised Protestant but converted to Catholicism in 2019. While Pope Leo XIV does not exist, one might wonder how Vance would respond to a real Pope critical of his political views, especially as he has demonstrated a tendency to defy political norms through his conversion and political actions. As a conservative, Vance may align himself with traditional values that emphasize the separation of church and state but also recognize the role of religious institutions in shaping moral and ethical values, potentially allowing him to find common ground with a progressive Pope despite disagreements on specific policies.
- Despite the Pope's political activism, JD Vance, a major player in the world's financial markets, asserts that the Church is above politics, asserting that its purpose is salvation and spreading the Word, not political partisanship.
- On the private X profile of Pope Leo XIV, there were posts disagreeing with JD Vance's political stance, including one that read, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to prioritize our love for our fellow man."
- Vance, a former Protestant whoconverted to Catholicism in 2019, holds differing political views compared to the Pope, yet he maintains that people don't care about political affiliations when it comes to the Pope, only wanting him to lead with compassion and faith.
- On Whatsapp groups dedicated to general news, war-and-conflicts, and politics, discussions about JD Vance and Pope Leo XIV's contrasting political views are prevalent, with some describing Leo XIV as a populist figure and Vance as a disruptor in the political realm.
