JD Vance reveals he discussed 'dark and negative' dating apps with Pope Leo during their first meeting
WASHINGTON, DC: Vice President JD Vance recently revealed that when he first sat down for a private conversation with Pope Leo, the two discussed an array of crucial issues, including immigration, world peace, and online dating.
The 40-year-old vice president had his first meeting with Pope Leo on Monday, May 19, just a day after he attended his inaugural mass in Rome where they briefly met and shook hands.
The Vatican provided minimal information about the 45-minute meeting, stating that the two held "cordial talks" about international affairs, religious freedom, and bilateral relations in addition to a "exchange of views on some current international issues."
As per Catholic News Agency, Vance and Leo had a one-on-one before Rubio joined the 45-minute audience, which was off-limits to the media.
Later, Rubio's wife Jeanette, Vance's wife Usha, and a larger US delegation also joined in for the traditional gift-giving.
Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with US Vice President @JDVance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio @SecRubio, who attended the Inauguration Mass of his pontificate. pic.twitter.com/FqWqOIhTJe
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) May 19, 2025
JD Vance reveals he and Pope Leo discussed dating apps among other things
Shortly after the meeting, JD Vance sat down for a podcast interview with The New York Times’ Ross Douthat, where he revealed what really unfolded during his meeting with Pope Leo.
The vice president began by stating that the two typically talked about "issues the Vatican cares a lot about," such as migration and the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, according to Daily Beast.
Vance later claimed to Douthat that he and the pope had also discussed online dating and AI’s potential to upend the labor market.
“The [AI] trend that I’m most worried about, there are a lot of them, and I actually, I don’t want to give too many details, but I talked to the Holy Father about this today,” he told Douthat.
“If you look at basic dating behavior among young people—and I think a lot of this is that the dating apps are probably more destructive than we fully appreciate.”
“I think part of it is that technology has just, for some reason, made it harder for young men and young women to communicate with each other in the same way,” he continued.
He claimed that although he was not concerned about AI causing job losses, he did believe that it could be "profoundly dark and negative" if teenagers, in particular, used chatbots to feel less alone.
“They start to develop a relationship, [and] they start to expect a chatbot that’s trying to give a dopamine rush. Compared to a chatbot, a normal human interaction is not going to be as satisfying, because human beings have wants and needs,” Vance said.
Pope Leo isn’t a fan of JD Vance and Donald Trump
JD Vance’s meeting with Pope Leo came just a few days after it was revealed that Pope Leo had been a big-time critic of Vance and President Donald Trump’s policies.
Before his inauguration as pope, Leo shared an article that criticized Vance's comments about Christianity on his social media.
The article shared by the pope was titled 'JD Vance is Wrong: Jesus Doesn't Ask Us to Rank Our Love for Others', and it argues that the scriptures encourage followers of the religion to love everyone equally.
His criticism of the Trump administration didn't stop there; Leo also reshared articles criticizing their stance on immigration.
Earlier, it was speculated that Pope Leo had appeared to shudder after shaking hands with Vance in the pair's first-ever meeting at the inaugural mass.
