'Stick to matters of morality': Vance hits out at Pope in feud with Trump

Vice-president is a Catholic convert and said, 'let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy'

US Vice-president JD Vance: 'Sometimes we’re going to have disagreements on matters of public policy.' Picture: Jacquelyn Martin/A

Tue, 14 Apr, 2026 - 16:13

Richard Luscombe

JD Vance has weighed in on Donald Trump’s feud with Pope Leo, effectively telling the pontiff to stay in his lane after the head of the Catholic Church criticised the White House over the Iran war.

“It would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of what’s going on in the Catholic Church and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy,” the vice-president — a Catholic convert himself — said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night.