Pope Leo Snubs JD Vance After Inaugural Mass

VATICAN CITY — It was supposed to be a moment of unity at the historic installation of the first American pope. Instead, Vice President JD Vance was met with what many are calling a papal snub.

Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago—barely acknowledged Vance after Sunday’s inaugural mass, brushing past the vice president with a brisk handshake and a 17-second greeting. Meanwhile, the new pontiff spent considerable time in private meetings with other world leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Peru’s Dina Boluarte.

No Formal Sit-Down. No Warm Words. No Doubt.

In a homily that many insiders viewed as a not-so-veiled rebuke of the Trump-Vance administration, Pope Leo condemned global greed, violence, and the exploitation of both people and the planet.

“Too many wounds are still caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference,” Leo preached. “Too many suffer under systems that marginalize the poor and exploit the Earth.”

No specific names were mentioned—but the message rang loud and clear. The Vatican press office confirmed Pope Leo’s post-mass meetings included European Union leaders, but not America’s second-in-command.

A Cold Reception with Deep Roots

The tension isn’t new. Before becoming pope, Father Prevost publicly amplified criticism of Vance’s role in the administration’s hardline immigration stance. In 2024, he reposted a blistering op-ed titled “JD Vance is Wrong: Jesus Doesn’t Ask Us to Rank Our Love for Others.” He also shared pieces spotlighting the suffering of migrants deported to dangerous conditions in El Salvador—many under policies Vance had vocally defended.

Vance, for his part, tried to dodge the spiritual fallout in a recent interview.

“I try not to play the politicization-of-the-pope game,” he told conservative host Hugh Hewitt earlier this month.

But the pattern is hard to ignore.

A Troubled History with Two Popes

Earlier this year, Pope Francis openly condemned Vance’s religious justification for mass deportations, calling them acts that “damage the dignity” of families and leave people “defenseless.” Vance responded by downplaying the dispute, saying, “I’m not going to litigate who’s right and who’s wrong.”

Just weeks later, on April 20, Vance met privately with Pope Francis at the Vatican. The meeting was brief but cordial. Less than 24 hours later, Pope Francis passed away.

In a symbolic gesture, Vance visited Francis’ tomb this Saturday. “He was beloved by many Catholics around the world,” he posted on X.

Damage Control—or Permanent Divide?

Despite efforts to repair ties, the chilly reception from Pope Leo suggests Vance may face an uphill battle winning favor in a Vatican increasingly critical of nationalist, anti-migrant policies.

The White House did not respond to questions about whether Vance requested a longer meeting with the pope—or was simply left off the guest list.

What’s clear is that Pope Leo, the most socially engaged pontiff in recent memory, appears unwilling to offer political absolution for policies he believes betray Catholic teaching.

And for Vance, once again, a papal handshake may be all he gets.