Angry Backlash Erupts as JD Vance is Accused of Using Pope Leo XIV for Political Gain

Source: International Business Times

Pope Leo XIV talks to US Vice President JD Vance (L) after a Holy mass for the beginning of his pontificate, in St Peter's basilica in The Vatican on May 18, 2025. Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images JD Vance is facing a sharp backlash in Washington and online this week after claiming in a New York Times interview that he spoke directly with Pope Leo XIV 'in the last few months,' a boast Vatican-connected sources now openly question. The row erupted after Vance, the US vice president and a high-profile Catholic convert, sat down with columnist Ross Douthat for a wide-ranging interview about his faith, foreign policy and the White House's escalating confrontation with Iran.