U.S. Vice President JD Vance is facing political fallout after Donald Trump clashed with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran conflict.
On social media platforms including X, calls have emerged — particularly from Catholic users — urging Vance to resign and publicly oppose Trump. Critics argue that as a devout Catholic convert, he should defend the pope if he respects his faith.
The controversy has put Vance in a difficult position as he prepares to publish a book detailing his personal journey to Catholicism.
Online users have also criticized the book cover, saying the church depicted appears more like a Methodist church than a Catholic one.
Trump sparked the backlash after posting on his social media platform, calling the pope “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” in response to criticism over U.S. actions related to Iran. He also claimed that the Chicago-born pope owed his papacy in part to his presidency.
The situation escalated further when Trump posted an AI-generated image portraying himself as a Christ-like figure healing a sick man, drawing accusations of blasphemy before it was later deleted.
The following day, Pope Leo XIV responded, saying he was “not afraid” of the Trump administration and would continue to speak out based on the Gospel.
The U.S. Catholic community also reacted strongly. Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he was “disappointed” by the president’s remarks about the pope.