Yes, Vice President JD Vance explicitly advised Pope Leo XIV to “be careful when he talks about matters of theology.” 

During a Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on April 14, 2026, Vance criticized the Pope’s recent statement that “God is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword,” arguing that such a claim ignored the thousand-year tradition of just war theory and historical conflicts like World War II. Vance compared the Pope’s role to his own, stating, “In the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.” 

The exchange occurred amidst a public feud between the Trump administration and the Vatican over U.S. foreign policy, specifically the war in Iran and immigration. While Vance acknowledged the Pope’s role as an advocate for peace, he insisted that theological statements must be “anchored in the truth” and warned that the clergy should exercise similar caution to politicians when opining on complex issues.