JD Vance Keeps His Cool as the Internet Melts Down About Death of Pope

Pope Francis Visits the United States Capitol, 2015. Photo by USCapitol. Public domain.

He met the Pope — and hours later, the Pope was dead.

That's all the internet needed to spiral into a conspiracy frenzy. Vice President JD Vance, a MAGA star with a controversial past, shook hands with Pope Francis on Easter morning. By Monday, the pontiff had passed away. Coincidence? The memes say otherwise. This wasn't just a meeting — this was a moment. A fleeting photo-op that has since ignited one of the wildest speculative firestorms of 2025.

And now, everyone wants to know: What really happened inside the Vatican?

The Last Visit

On Easter Sunday, JD Vance paid a visit to Pope Francis at the Vatican residence, one of several brief encounters the Pope had that day. Their exchange was formal, cordial, and notably short. Vance received chocolate eggs and a Vatican tie for his children. They posed for photographs. Vance told the Pope, "I pray for you every day ... God bless you," as reported by The Times of India, and then he left.

Less than 24 hours later, Pope Francis was gone.

According to a Vatican medical report shared by The New York Times, the 88-year-old pontiff died from a cerebral stroke that caused him to fall into a coma and suffer "irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse." He had long suffered from chronic lung disease and was recovering from double pneumonia earlier this year.

Still, the timing raised eyebrows. And online, that's all it took.

The Internet Explodes

Once news of the Pope's death broke, social media turned on its axis. On X, formerly Twitter, the hashtag #JDVanceKilledThePope surged into trending territory. Some users floated theories that Vance was cursed. Others dubbed him the Antichrist.

Late-night hosts mocked the idea. Far-right pundit Ann Coulter sarcastically congratulated Vance.

Even John F. Kennedy's grandson posted a since-deleted jab, writing, "Okay JD killed the Pope."

To be clear — the Vatican confirmed natural causes. There is no investigation. There is no foul play. But none of that mattered to the internet's meme-makers — or its conspiracy theorists.

A History of Tension

JD Vance, a self-described Catholic, has long been at odds with Pope Francis's worldview. Francis — who championed refugee rights and criticized authoritarian populism — had warned U.S. bishops in February against turning faith into nationalist dogma. While he didn't name names, his message was interpreted by many as a direct rebuke of Vance's ideology.

Vance has argued that compassion begins with family, then extends to neighbors and only later to strangers. Critics, including Pope Francis, saw this as a distortion of Christian teachings. The Pope emphasized the Good Samaritan parable as the correct "ordo amoris" — the right order of love — that excludes no one.

The ideological clash wasn't limited to letters. Francis reportedly sent Cardinal Pietro Parolin to clarify the Vatican's theological stance to Vance in person just a day before their meeting.

Vance Speaks Out

Vance, who traveled to India shortly after the Pope's death, addressed the controversy during a press conference. He acknowledged that the meeting had been on his mind. "It's pretty crazy, actually," he said. "Obviously, when I saw him, I didn't know that he had less than 24 hours still on this Earth," as reported by the Times of India.

Asked whether he would attend the Pope's funeral, Vance gave a vague answer. He wasn't planning to — but he hadn't ruled it out. The White House later confirmed that President Trump would represent the U.S. at the ceremony in Rome.

So — What's the Truth?

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis died of natural causes. He had a long history of health issues. JD Vance did not kill the Pope. But the optics were irresistible.

One minute, the controversial Vice President was exchanging chocolate eggs with the Catholic Church's most progressive leader. The next, that leader was gone. In the absence of facts, the internet did what it always does — it filled in the gaps with memes, sarcasm, and outlandish speculation.

This wasn't a murder. It was a moment. A symbolic clash between ideologies — and a reminder that in today's climate, perception moves faster than truth.

References: What did Pope Francis think of JD Vance? His view was more than clear | Why won't JD Vance attend Pope Francis's funeral? Here's what he said | Did JD Vance Kill the Pope? An Investigation | John F Kennedy's grandson slams US Vice President J D Vance for Pope's death; triggers conspiracy theories | World pays tribute to Pope Francis