Vance meets with Pope Leo XIV, who criticized Trump's policies

On Monday, May 19, Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance met with Pope Leo XIV, who, as a cardinal, criticized the migration policy of American President Donald Trump. This was reported by Reuters.

A spokesperson for the vice president told the media that the two met one-on-one before being joined by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Leo XIV, former Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost, a relatively unknown figure on the world stage, was elected the new pope on May 8. As a cardinal, he published several disapproving posts about Trump administration policies on his social media account X, reflecting concerns about migrants.

Vance and Rubio were in Rome to lead the U.S. delegation to the inaugural Mass of Leo XIV on Sunday, May 18, in St. Peter's Square.

After meeting with the Pope, Vance met with officials from the Vatican's Secretariat of State on Monday. The Vatican called the talks "cordial".

"There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in conflict zones and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved," the meeting's report says.

• May 18, 2025 Pope Leo XIV officially took office, passing the enthronement procedure.
• On the same day, Zelenskyy had an audience with Leo XIV after the pontiff's inaugural mass.