Vice President JD Vance has called on Pope Leo XIV to stay out of American political matters, defending President Trump's recent attacks against the pontiff. In a Fox News interview, Vance, a Catholic convert, suggested the Vatican should focus on church matters while the president handles U.S. policy.

The clash follows Trump's social media tirade accusing the pope of being "weak on crime" and too liberal, even falsely claiming credit for Leo's election. The Vatican responded that the pope has "no fear" of the Trump administration and will continue speaking out on issues he believes matter.

This marks a significant escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church, with Vance's comments representing the highest-ranking Catholic official in the U.S. government publicly suggesting the pope should limit his involvement in American affairs. The dispute highlights growing ideological divisions within American Catholicism and raises questions about the role of religious leaders in political discourse.