Vance Delivers Perfect Response After Pope Calls Out ‘Narrative’ About Him and Trump – RedState
There has been some controversy this week over President Donald Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo for his weakness on crime and his remarks about U.S. military action in Iran.
The pope had previously made comments on immigration and military action against Iran that criticized the Trump administration’s actions before Trump’s remarks. But then the media seemed to try to interpret various remarks he made after Trump’s criticism as an attempt to attack Trump and stir up controversy.
As we reported earlier, Pope Leo attempted to set the record straight, saying the media had propagated a “certain narrative that was not accurate in all its aspects.” Well, it looks like he’s calling out the media for the way they reported this.
NEW: Pope Leo downplays tensions with President Trump, addressing a ‘narrative that has not been accurate in all its aspects.’
He says it’s “not in my interest at all” to debate the president and that he will continue to preach a message of peace. pic.twitter.com/DwG6BiUsaP
– Fox News (@FoxNews) April 18, 2026
READ MORE: Pope Leo responds to President Trump: ‘not interested in debate’
The pope said what followed was “commentary upon commentary,” trying to interpret what he was saying. Translation? I’m trying to read everything he said as an attack on Trump.
He said the remarks he made in Cameroon, which were prepared two weeks before, before Trump’s comments were then made, made it seem like he was trying to “debate with the president” when he wasn’t trying to do so, “which was not in my interest at all.”
However, several media outlets, including Reuters, interpreted this speech, in which he spoke about tyrants, as being related to Trump.
Pope Leo blasted leaders who spend billions on wars and said the world was “ravaged by a handful of tyrants”, after US President Trump attacked him again on social media. Read more: https://t.co/gmv90JFgXr pic.twitter.com/xJekyIUEm5
-Reuters (@Reuters) April 16, 2026
This tweet was also presented as an attack on Trump by some, despite the fact that it clearly had the hashtag “Cameroon”.
Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging what is sacred into darkness and filth. #ApostolicJourney #Cameroon https://t.co/bKteFZ3iWE
– Pope Leo XIV (@Pontifex) April 16, 2026
So, in the end, when the Pope was trying to draw attention to the important issues that needed to be resolved with President Paul Biya’s problematic government, the media ignored him in favor of their “focus on Trump” solution.
The Vatican had said the fight against corruption in the mineral-rich central African country would be one of the themes of Leo’s visit, and the American pope did not hesitate to address Biya and government officials in a speech at the presidential palace.
“For peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption – which disfigure authority and rob it of credibility – must be broken,” Leo said. “Hearts must be freed from the idolatrous thirst for profit. »
If you think about what the pope is saying, he’s saying to the media and others involved: don’t try to manipulate my words for your story about Trump.
Vice President JD Vance welcomed what Pope Leo had to say and had the perfect response to his denunciation of the media narrative.
I am grateful to Pope Leo for saying this. While the media narrative constantly stirs up conflict – and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen – the reality is often much more complicated.
Pope Leo is preaching the Gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean expressing his opinion on the moral issues of the day. The president – and the entire administration – is working to apply these moral principles in a world in disorder.
He will be in our prayers and I hope we will be in his.
Good for Vance, that’s a great answer. Let all parties denounce the media who always try to manipulate the narrative. Vance acknowledges that yes, they can have differences on policy, and that the Trump administration must do what is best for the country, regardless of the pope’s differences. The Pope doesn’t have the information Trump has about the threats emanating from Iran and, as border czar Tom Homan said, he may not even understand how Trump’s immigration policy is better, not only for the country but for saving lives. He said he was willing to talk with people at the Vatican and give them some facts.
READ MORE: Spot-On: Tom Homan Provides Perfect Response to Pope on Illegal Immigration
That would be a great way to go from there. And maybe now the pope might be more willing to understand that the media narrative on things like the action in Iran and immigration might not be what he might think when he sees how the media has behaved here.
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