Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday, presenting the first American-born pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey and a personal letter from President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The pope, a Chicago native, responded with a smile and the words, “Good choice.”
The historic meeting in Vatican City lasted approximately 40 minutes. Vance, a Catholic convert, was joined by his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with his wife, Jeanette. The meeting emphasized both diplomatic and spiritual connections between the United States and the Catholic Church under the leadership of an American pope.
Video footage showed Vance personally delivering a letter from President Trump, extending an invitation to the White House. “I know you have many things to do, but I wanted to make sure I gave you that letter,” Vance told the pope.
The pope presented the Vances with a bronze sculpture engraved with the Italian phrase, “Peace is a fragile flower.” The Vatican stated that the dialogue included discussions on global humanitarian crises and a mutual call for negotiated peace in international conflicts.
Vice President Vance also gifted the pontiff two works by St. Augustine — The City of God and On Christian Doctrine — honoring his patron saint. The meeting concluded on a personal note, with Vance telling the pope he would pray for him, to which Pope Leo XIV replied, “I am sure we will meet again.”
The visit follows Vance’s initial encounter with the pope during his inaugural mass on Sunday, marking a moment of historic significance between the U.S. leadership and the first American to sit on the Throne of St. Peter.
