Vice President JD Vance attempted to defend President Trump’s controversial social media post depicting himself as Jesus, claiming it was merely a joke. Trump himself contradicted this defense hours earlier, stating he thought the image showed him as a doctor helping people, not attempting humor.

Vice President’s Defense Falls Apart

Appearing on Fox News, Vance told viewers Trump posted the image in jest and removed it after recognizing people misunderstood his humor. The vice president explained Trump enjoys mixing things up on social media. However, Trump had already told reporters the image was meant to show him as a doctor making people better, destroying Vance’s comedic explanation before it even aired.

Catholic VP Sides Against Pope

Vance, the first Catholic Republican vice president, chose loyalty to Trump over the head of his church when addressing the president’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV. The pope had spoken about the Middle East conflict and immigrant welfare, prompting Trump’s public criticism. Vance suggested the Vatican should stay out of American politics and stick to internal church matters.

The vice president argued policy disagreements between Washington and the Vatican were not newsworthy. He recommended the pope focus on morality and church affairs while letting Trump handle American public policy. His comments positioned wars and immigration as outside the pope’s moral authority, despite these being fundamental ethical concerns for religious leaders throughout history.

Pattern of Failed Cleanup Efforts

This incident represents another example of Vance struggling to manage Trump’s controversial statements. The White House had reportedly planned to focus on tax policy this week, but Trump shifted attention to religious controversies instead. The vice president’s contradictory explanations and criticism of the pope highlight the ongoing challenge of defending Trump’s unpredictable behavior. Many of Trump’s political allies criticized the Jesus image, making Vance’s defensive position particularly difficult. The episode underscores tensions between political loyalty and religious authority for America’s highest-ranking Catholic official.