Vance Angrily Defends ‘Pope Trump’ Meme in Clash With Kristol: ‘Fine With Telling Jokes… Not With Starting Wars’
Vice President JD Vance went on offense defending the already-infamous “Pope Trump” meme in a post on his X account over the weekend after being tagged by The Bulwark’s Bill Kristol.
Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan condemned the meme image, which depicts President Donald Trump as a Pope and was posted on the president’s social media just days after the death of the actual Pope, with whom Vance had so recently met.
But unlike the Cardinal, Vance took offense to the taking of offense by Kristol, and snapped back with a swipe at Kristol’s support for the invasion of Iraq during former president George W. Bush’s term in office.
Kristol shared the screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post featuring the image, which had gone viral, and tagged the Catholic VP to call him out.
“Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father?” Kristol wrote.
Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father? https://t.co/xbPs1hf5Gn
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 3, 2025
Vance quote-replied to the taunt a few hours later.
“As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,” Vance said.
As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen. https://t.co/2WQPsofVIH
— JD Vance (@JDVance) May 3, 2025
Still later that day, Kristol replied.
And I'm fine with people who do really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another, and with people who don't support the AfD. https://t.co/fVzL83Rasd
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 4, 2025
At the time of publication, Vance had not replied further in the argument.
Earlier in the week, Vance was asked by a reporter for his feelings on being one of the last people to see Pope Francis alive.
“I think it was a great blessing,” Vance said. “I try to just remember that I was lucky that I got to shake his hand and tell him that I pray for him every day. Because I did, and I do.”
