Vice President JD Vance publicly thanked Pope Leo XIV on Saturday after the first U.S.-born pontiff clarified that he has no interest in engaging in a public debate with President Donald Trump over the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The comments came during Pope Leo’s papal visit to Africa.

While aboard a flight from Cameroon to Angola on Saturday, the pope addressed media coverage of a speech he delivered in Cameroon, criticizing those who “manipulate religion” for political and military gain. He stated the remarks had been prepared two weeks earlier, well before President Trump’s public comments on the pope’s message of peace.

“And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not my interest at all,” Pope Leo said. “So, we go on the journey. We continue proclaiming the gospel message.”

WATCH:

NEW: Pope Leo downplays tensions with President Trump, addressing a “narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects.”

He says it is “not in my interest at all” to debate the president and will keep preaching a message of peace. pic.twitter.com/DwG6BiUsaP

— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 18, 2026

Trump had branded the pope as “soft on crime” and “very liberal” after he had made comments against war.

Reporter: Why did you attack Pope Leo?

Trump: I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess. We don’t like a pope who says it’s ok to have a nuclear weapon. We don’t want a pope that says crime is ok. I am not a fan of Pope Leo. pic.twitter.com/cj3oh1jSIL

— Acyn (@Acyn) April 13, 2026

Vance, a Catholic who met with Pope Leo at the Vatican last May shortly after his election, responded directly on X.

I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict–and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated.

Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he… https://t.co/SxWCKyhDSj

— JD Vance (@JDVance) April 18, 2026

“While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict–and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated,” Vance wrote on X.

The vice president added that because the pope “preaches the gospel, as he should,” that would “inevitably mean he offers his opinions on moral issues of the day.”

“The President–and the entire administration–work to apply those moral principles in a messy world,” Vance continued. “He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we’ll be in his.”

Trump also told reporters he was not “fighting with the pope” and that he had a “right to disagree,” while maintaining he would not apologize.

The post VP JD Vance Thanks Pope Leo XIV for Rejecting Media ‘Debate’ Narrative with Trump, ‘He Will Be in Our Prayers, and I Hope That We’ll Be in His’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.