Fact Check: Did Pope Leo XIV and JD Vance trade blows about compassion?
WASHINGTON, DC: A dramatic story claiming Pope Leo XIV and Vice President JD Vance clashed over the meaning of compassion is spreading on Facebook.
The post alleges that Vance called compassion a form of weakness and that Pope Leo responded with a fiery message defending care for the sick, the poor, and other vulnerable people.
The claim comes as the pope and Vance have already had documented disagreements over issues including immigration and war. Let’s fact-check the claim.
Claim: Pope Leo XIV and JD Vance exchanged sharp remarks over compassion
A claim circulated online alleging that Pope Leo XIV and JD Vance exchanged sharp remarks over compassion. On September 23, a Facebook user named Dee Wallace, whose profile name references the actor from “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” shared an image featuring photos of Vance and Pope Leo.
The post claimed that Vance criticized one of Pope Leo's messages and described compassion as a form of weakness. It then claimed that Pope Leo responded with a strong message defending compassion and inclusion.
According to the post, Pope Leo asked, “You say compassion is weakness. Then when did caring for the sick become weakness? When did helping the poor become weakness? When did loving our neighbors become weakness?”
The post further claimed that the audience fell silent before Pope Leo asked, “Can we imagine hatred in heaven? Can we imagine cruelty in heaven? Then why do we tolerate these things on earth?”
The post said the exchange began as a political attack but turned into a broader message about compassion. It also claimed that the supposed exchange was spreading widely online.
Fact Check: False; no credible evidence to support the claim
The claims are false. Searches on Google, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo found no reports from credible news outlets about the alleged discussion or the supposed direct quotes.
If the exchange had happened, major news organizations would likely have reported it. Instead, reports found that the post was fictional and created with the help of artificial intelligence.
The fabricated story may have drawn on some of Vance’s real comments about Pope Leo. In April, Vance spoke at a Turning Point USA rally and said he welcomed the pope commenting on immigration, abortion, and matters of war and peace, even when they disagreed. He also said the pope should “be careful” when discussing theology.
The Facebook account that shared the post also did not provide credible evidence that actor Dee Wallace had actually shared it. The account used the handle @DeeWallaceOfficialFB and displayed a verification badge.
However, the profile’s transparency information showed that it had previously identified itself as a fan page. It also showed that six accounts based in Vietnam managed the page. The account’s recent posts also contained AI-generated and fictional content.
These details show that the viral post used real public figures and genuine past comments to create a fictional exchange that did not occur.
