{"id":27903,"date":"2025-05-19T15:53:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T15:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=27903"},"modified":"2025-05-19T15:53:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T15:53:18","slug":"jd-vance-slammed-for-inappropriate-gesture-to-pope-leo-that-broke-protocol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=27903","title":{"rendered":"JD Vance slammed for ‘inappropriate’ gesture to Pope Leo that ‘broke protocol’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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JD Vance has been criticized for appearing to make yet another ‘inappropriate’ blunder while meeting the pope.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The US vice president apparently isn’t well-versed in Vatican etiquette having only just last month peeved off a lot of Catholic followers for\u00a0breaking a major rule while on holy grounds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now,\u00a0Vance<\/a>\u00a0has apparently broken protocol again, this time while meeting the new\u00a0Pope Leo<\/a>\u00a0XIV who was declared pontiff and head of the Roman\u00a0Catholic Church<\/a>\u00a0on Thursday, May 8.<\/p>\n

Old retweets from the Chicago-born Pope Leo, the first American in history to take on the lofty role, resurfaced not long after his election, which have\u00a0suggested he isn’t exactly a keen Republican<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Pope Leo held an inauguration mass in St Peter’s Square on Sunday (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In fact, the 69-year-old posted dozens of statements critical about President\u00a0Donald Trump<\/a>‘s policies, during both his first term and his second, clashing mostly on\u00a0immigration<\/a>\u00a0and the US’ treatment of refugees.<\/p>\n

In one instance, Pope Leo even shared an article that\u00a0called out JD Vance\u00a0<\/a>for being ‘wrong’ about comments he had made about a ‘Christian concept.’<\/p>\n

Reacting to the apparent criticism, the Catholic convert said he tries ‘not to play the politicization of the Pope game’, as\u00a0per<\/a>\u00a0The Independent, and also said on a radio show: “I\u2019m sure [Pope Leo] he\u2019s going to say a lot of things that I love. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll say some things that I disagree with, but I\u2019ll continue to pray for him and the Church despite it all and through it all.”<\/p>\n

Given this, you might have anticipated a frosty meeting when the pair met on Sunday (May 18), yet it appeared Vance actually got a little\u00a0too<\/em>\u00a0friendly with the new pontiff.<\/p>\n

After respectfully shaking hands and exchanging some brief words, Vance stretched out his arm to gently pat Pope Leo on his elbow in a gesture many have said looks like Vance is greeting an old frat buddy.<\/p>\n

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The vice president seemingly touched Pope Leo on the elbow (Twitter\/@MikeSington)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dozens have since taken to\u00a0social media<\/a>\u00a0in an outrage over the apparent ‘disrespect,’ describing it as ‘overly familiar and inappropriate.’<\/p>\n

Another said it looked ‘almost condescending’ and like ‘patting a puppy’s head before moving along’.<\/p>\n

A third wrote: “J.D. Vance embarrassed himself again at the Vatican when he attempted to pat Pope Leo XIV on the shoulder like a drinking buddy in St. Peter’s Basilica after the papal inauguration mass.”<\/p>\n

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JD Vance, joined by his wife, Usha Vance, met Pope Leo XIV following the pontiff\u2019s inaugural Mass in St. Peter\u2019s Square.<\/p>\n

What do you notice? pic.twitter.com\/rQXxObUqUH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 18, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n