Vance Says He Won’t Play ‘politicization Of The Pope Game’ Over Whether Leo Xiv Is Conservative Or Liberal

Vice President JD Vance refused to talk authorities astir nan recently elected pope connected Friday, calling his predetermination a "great thing."

"So galore group my full life person said you’re ne'er going to person an American pope," Vance told blimpish power big Hugh Hewitt aft being asked for his guidance to his election. "Obviously, now we do, truthful I deliberation that’s a awesome thing." 

Vance added that "We don’t cognize a full batch astir him, but I conscionable wish him nan best, right? I’m a Catholic. He’s now nan caput of nan Catholic Church, and we’ll believe for his wisdom, for his bully decisions, and his bully health, and dream that he has a agelong and successful papacy."

The vice president told Hewitt that thing for illustration nan predetermination of a caller pope tin often go "discolored" by politics. 

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JD Vance refused to talk authorities astir nan recently elected pope connected Friday, calling his predetermination a "great thing." (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Alberto PizzoliAFP via Getty Images)

"People are asking is he a blimpish aliases is he a liberal," Vance continued. "Will he onslaught President Trump and J.D. Vance connected definite things, and hasn’t attacked Democrats connected different things."

He said his thoughts connected that were that it’s difficult to "fit a 2,000-year-old institution into nan authorities of 2025 America."

Vance added that arsenic a Catholic convert, he tries "not to play nan politicization of nan Pope game. I’m judge he’s going to opportunity a batch of things that I love. I’m judge he’ll opportunity immoderate things that I disagree with, but I’ll proceed to believe for him and nan Church contempt it each and done it all, and that’ll beryllium nan measurement that I grip it."

Vance’s remarks came aft news dispersed of an X relationship linked to Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, that reposted articles earlier this twelvemonth criticizing nan Trump management connected its deportation push. 

He besides agreed pinch Hewitt that it was "disappointing" that reporters asked cardinals successful a property convention astir Leo’s predetermination astir Trump. 

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Vance met pinch nan precocious Pope Francis past month.  (Vatican Media via AP, HO)

"The Church is truthful overmuch bigger than politics," he said, adding that astir of nan millions of Catholics successful nan U.S. aren’t worried astir whether nan pope is wide aliases conservative. 

He continued, "There are a batch of views nan Catholic activity holds that are, you know, you mightiness see connected nan correct broadside of nan spectrum. There are a batch of views they’re going to clasp that mightiness beryllium much traditionally connected nan near broadside of nan spectrum. And past location are a batch of views that don’t representation easy onto authorities astatine all."

Vance said that though nan religion touches connected nationalist argumentation from clip to time, "that’s not really what it’s about."

"I deliberation it would beryllium amended for each of america if we allowed nan Church to beryllium astir nan redeeming of souls and didn’t effort to fresh it into a pre-ordained governmental box," he concluded.

Pope Leo XIV was elected to win Pope Francis connected Thursday aft the former’s decease past month aft a wellness battle. 

President Trump quickly congratulated Leo connected his action connected Thursday. 

The recently elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for nan first clip from nan Vatican pavilion connected May 8.  (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

"It is specified an grant to recognize that he is nan first American Pope," he wrote successful Truth Social Post. "What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look guardant to gathering Pope Leo XIV. It will beryllium a very meaningful moment!"

However, different conservatives for illustration Steve Bannon, nan erstwhile White House main strategist successful Trump's first management and a Catholic, called Leo nan "worst prime ever." 

Pro-Trump blimpish commentator Joey Mannarino took to X to complaint that "the caller Pope has precocious attacked JD Vance, shown solidarity pinch Kilmar Abrego-Garcia and begged Trump to unfastened nan borders for illustration Biden had them. This feline is worse than Francis."

Conservative power big Charlie Kirk said successful a video connected X, "Let’s conscionable say, not truthful awesome tweets astir having immoderate willingness for unfastened borders. We’ll spot benignant of really he is connected that. Also immoderate George Floyd worldly that I’m not excessively crazy about."

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Kirk added that "overall, it seems for illustration he’s a pro-life warrior. There’s a batch yet to study astir this pope, but I dream that he will beryllium a beardown advocator for beardown borders. And for sovereignty."