Vance tells the pope to tread carefully on theology after wartime remarks

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, told Pope Leo XIV to be careful when discussing theology after the pope suggested Jesus isn’t on the side of those who wield the sword; Vance argued that Allied actions in World War II—liberating France and Holocaust camps—show God can be on the side of those who defeat evil, while acknowledging disagreements over just wars. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Georgia and noting he has met the pope, he urged theological statements to be anchored in truth even as he welcomes papal input on issues like abortion, immigration, and war and peace.