The Catholic J.D. Vance takes the side of Donald Trump against Pope Leo XVI, whom the president described as “weak and incompetent in foreign policy matters.” In an interview with Fox News, the American vice president stated that “in some cases, it would be preferable for the Vatican to stick to moral issues, internal affairs of the Catholic Church.” “And let the President of the United States dictate American public policy,” Vance added. Finally, Vance concluded: “When I disagree, I disagree. It doesn’t bother me too much. I think it’s natural. I’m sure it will happen again, and it’s not a big deal that it has already happened.”
Yesterday, the American president launched a frontal attack on the pope. “Pope Leo is lax on crime and catastrophic in foreign policy,” said Trump. “If I weren’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be at the Vatican.”
“I’m not afraid of the Trump administration, I speak of the Gospel, I will continue to denounce the war loudly,” replied Leo XIV. “I have no intention of engaging in a debate with him.”
In a message sent on the occasion of the plenary session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the pope warned today: “Democracy remains healthy only when rooted in moral law and a true vision of the human person. Without this foundation, it risks becoming a majority tyranny or a mask for the domination of economic and technological elites.”
“The key principles which govern the exercise of authority within nations should also guide the international order – a truth which is particularly important to keep in mind at a time when strategic rivalries and shifting alliances are reshaping the landscape of global relations. We must remember,” writes Leone, “that a just and stable international order cannot be based on a mere balance of powers or purely technocratic logic. The concentration of technological, economic, and military powers in a few hands threatens both the democratic participation of peoples and international harmony.”
In his message, Leo also emphasizes that “justice and moral strength are essential for clear decision-making and the implementation of decisions. Temperance is also essential for the legitimate use of authority, as true temperance restrains excessive pride and acts as a defense against abuse of power.”
