Administration

Pope Leo, Vance seek to mend fences after Trump feud

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by Ashleigh Fields - 04/19/26 11:07 PM ET

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by Ashleigh Fields - 04/19/26 11:07 PM ET

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Pope Leo XIV and Vice President Vance on Saturday both said the presumed feud with President Trump was misinterpreted.

“There’s been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the president of the United States made some comments about myself,” Pope Leo told reporters on the Papal plane.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said,” he added.

Leo said the remarks given at the prayer meeting for peace, which some said threw indirect jabs at Trump due to his strong stance against wars, was prepared “two weeks” before Trump made any comments about him.

The pontiff said that it was not in his “interest at all” debate with the president.

“I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict–and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated,” Vance wrote in a Saturday post on the social platform X.

“Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day. The President–and the entire administration–work to apply those moral principles in a messy world,” he continued.

Vance added, “He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we’ll be in his.”

Trump previously told reporters he has a right to disagree with the pope and previously said the only reason Pope Leo was elected as the first American pontiff is because religious leaders wanted to gain favor with him.

On Friday, however, the president seemed to take a slightly less combative tone, saying to reporters that he’s not fighting with the pope though he also said that he has a right to disagree with the pontiff.

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