Vice President JD Vance made a point that seemed pretty obvious to everyone except him when he, mentioning Pope Leo XIV, gave his take on the historical context around the tenure of Pope Leo XIII, who led the Catholic Church from 1878 until 1903.
Speaking at a White House briefing focused on the possible impact of the pope’s upcoming encyclical on artificial intelligence, Vance highlighted the symbolism behind Robert Francis Prevost, the first U.S.-born leader of the Roman Catholic Church, choosing the name Leo XIV.
But he made a point about the rise of "facism and communism in Europe" that seemed to go very much over his head at a time when the Trump administration continues to face heavy criticism for its authoritarian governance, immigration crackdown, the war in Iran, and other human rights abuses.
He remarked:
“One of the things I always found fascinating about Pope Leo is that he chose the name Leo XIV, which of course is recollecting Leo XIII. Leo XIII was the pope during a period of incredible industrial transformation in the entire world.”
“Of course, that industrial transformation, according to a lot of people, led to the rise of fascism and communism in Europe. I think it was interesting that Leo XIV chose that name to maybe apply Christian social teaching in a new era with a new technological innovation in the same way that the industrial revolution was the technological innovation of its time.”
You can hear what Vance said in the video below.
Vance seemed completely oblivious to the point he made applying to the government he represents—and was resoundingly mocked for it.
Vance spoke as if Pope Leo hasn't criticized the United States government for authoritarian actions in the past.
Pope Leo previously criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and urged legislators to make sure immigrants' "spiritual rights" are being respected.
In February, responding to the news that Catholic migrants detained in Chicago have been denied access to Holy Communion, he stressed that “the role of the Church is to preach the Gospel."
Pope Leo was previously criticized by MAGA supporters after they became aware of an article he once shared that criticized Vance because "Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."
Notably, the pope previously condemned the Trump administration on social media for Trump’s “anti-immigrant rhetoric” back in 2015. He later reposted messages criticizing the death penalty, mass deportations, and Congress’s failure to act on gun reform after mass shootings.
