JD Vance’s remarks on Pope Leo XIV’s name choice didn’t land quite as he’d possibly hoped on Tuesday.
Speaking at a White House briefing about the potential influence of the pope’s upcoming encyclical on artificial intelligence, the vice president pointed to the significance of Robert Francis Prevost — the first U.S.-born head of the Roman Catholic Church — choosing the name Leo XIV.
“One of the things I always found fascinating about Pope Leo is that he chose the name Leo XIV, which of course is recollecting Leo XIII,” Vance said, noting that Leo XIII, who was pope from 1878 to 1903, led during “a period of incredible industrial transformation in the entire world.”
“Of course, that industrial transformation, according to a lot of people, led to the rise of fascism and communism in Europe,” Vance added, suggesting the current pope, who has criticized the Trump administration over its Iran war and anti-immigration crackdown, “chose that name to maybe apply Christian social teaching in a new era with a new technological innovation in the same way that the industrial revolution was the technological innovation of its time.”
Critics on social media thought Vance’s highlighting of the link between social upheaval and authoritarianism was ironic, given how Donald Trump and his MAGA allies are often accused of the latter.
“Didn’t make the point he thinks he made,” one wrote.
“So, so close to getting it,” another added.
A third asked: “He doesn’t see the irony, does he?”
“Read the room JD. It’s about the rise of fascism right here,” a fourth wrote.
“So Cardinal Prevost recognized the dangers looming on the horizon and chose a papal name to harken back to a previous pope who fought those same dangers? What an awesome pope we have!” said a fifth.
