Sat Apr 19 18:25:36 UTC 2025: ## Tensions Ease? US Vice President Meets Vatican Officials Amidst Ongoing Policy Disputes

**Vatican City, April 19, 2025** – US Vice President J.D. Vance met with senior Vatican officials on Saturday, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, amidst ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church. The meeting, described as “cordial,” comes after the Vatican issued sharp criticism of the administration’s policies, particularly its immigration crackdown and cuts to foreign aid.

While Pope Francis, recovering from illness, did not attend, the discussions covered international issues, focusing on war-torn countries, political unrest, and humanitarian crises, including the plight of migrants and refugees. The Vatican statement expressed “hope for serene collaboration” between the US Church and government, a significant development given the recent strained relationship.

The meeting follows earlier criticism from the Pope and other Vatican officials who have condemned the Trump administration’s immigration policies as a “disgrace” and its funding cuts as “catastrophic.” The US Conference of Catholic Bishops recently announced the termination of a decades-long partnership with the federal government due to these cuts, impacting services for migrants and refugees.

Vice President Vance, a Catholic who has previously defended the administration’s immigration stance using medieval Catholic theology, has publicly clashed with the Pope on this issue. The Pope, in a previous open letter, directly rebuked Vance’s theological justification.

Observers like Massimo Faggioli of Villanova University highlight the significance of this meeting, emphasizing the high priority the Vatican places on its relationship with the US. The meeting’s outcome and its effect on the ongoing policy disagreements remain to be seen.

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