Washington/Vatican City –
US Vice-President JD Vance has extended an official invitation to Pope Leo to visit Washington, following what the White House described as a “cordial” meeting at the Vatican on Monday.
During the 45-minute private audience, Vance, a practicing Catholic, delivered a letter from President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump inviting the pontiff to visit the United States “as soon as [he] possibly can,” according to White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.
In a statement released by the Holy See, both sides expressed satisfaction with the current state of US–Vatican relations. Topics of discussion included religious freedom, church-state cooperation, and global conflict resolution, with an emphasis on humanitarian law and peaceful negotiations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also attended the meeting and participated in broader discussions with Vatican diplomats, including Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, who oversees the Holy See’s diplomatic relations.
The meeting followed Pope Leo’s inaugural mass on Sunday, which Vance and other dignitaries attended. Pope Leo, born in Chicago, is the first American elected to lead the Catholic Church.
Symbolic Exchange of Gifts
As part of the customary exchange of gifts, Vance presented the Pope with a Chicago Bears t-shirt bearing his name and two books by St. Augustine. The Pope gifted the Vice-President a bronze sculpture inscribed in Italian with “peace is a fragile flower,” along with a picture book featuring images of the Apostolic Palace, the papal residence.
Photos released after the meeting showed Vice-President Vance, his wife Usha Vance, Secretary Rubio, and his wife Jeanette Rubio standing alongside Pope Leo, sharing smiles during the visit.
Shared Values and Differences
While Monday’s meeting emphasized cooperation, it also came amid public tension over immigration policy. Earlier this year, a social media account under Pope Leo’s name posted criticism of the Trump administration’s deportation plans and shared an article titled, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
The Vatican has not confirmed whether the account is officially managed by the pontiff.
Despite these tensions, Vance praised the newly appointed Pope during Sunday’s mass, stating, “The United States is very proud of the Chicago-born pontiff. Certainly our prayers go with him as he starts this very important work.”
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