JD Vance’s Gift to Pope Leo XIV during Vatican Visit Sparked Heated Debate
Vice President J.D. Vance sparked controversy during a Vatican visit by presenting Pope Leo XIV with a custom Chicago Bears jersey bearing the pontiff’s name. The unconventional gift, given alongside an official invitation to visit the U.S., drew mixed reactions online, with critics calling it inappropriate while others noted the American-born Pope’s apparent smile during the exchange. This wasn’t Vance’s first Vatican controversy – weeks earlier, he faced backlash when a photo surfaced of his son inside the Sistine Chapel, where photography is strictly prohibited.
The visit occurred during a historic transition period, as Vance had met with Pope Francis just days before his death on Easter Monday 2025. The Vice President later shared condolences, recalling their final meeting where the ailing Pope gifted his family rosaries and chocolate eggs. As the Vatican mourned Francis’ passing from a cerebral stroke, global attention turned to the Chicago-born successor who’d received such an unorthodox American welcome to the papacy.
