U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited the Vatican on Saturday for talks with senior Catholic Church officials, amid ongoing criticism of the Trump administration’s policies.

The meeting marks the first in-person discussions between Vatican officials and members of the Trump administration in the second term.

Vance, a Catholic who has previously clashed with Pope Francis over the administration's immigration policies, arrived shortly before 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) for meetings with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, and other officials. While Pope Francis, who is recovering from double pneumonia and has limited his public appearances, was not expected to participate, the discussions are seen as significant given the ongoing tensions between the U.S. administration and the Catholic Church.

The Vatican has been a vocal critic of several Trump policies, particularly his immigration crackdown, plans to deport millions of migrants, and cuts to foreign aid and domestic welfare programs. Pope Francis has referred to Trump’s immigration measures as a "disgrace," and earlier this year, in a letter to U.S. Catholic bishops, he condemned the administration’s approach, stating that "what is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly."

Vance, who became Catholic in 2019, has used medieval-era Catholic teaching to justify the administration’s strict immigration policies. This theological defense has been directly challenged by the Vatican, including Pope Francis’ open letter to U.S. bishops in February, criticizing the Trump administration’s stance.

The visit comes at a sensitive time in U.S.-Vatican relations, with the church’s charity arm highlighting the devastating effects of Trump’s funding cuts to U.S. foreign aid programs, especially in the developing world. The U.S. Catholic bishops' conference has also announced it will end long-standing partnerships with the federal government, including services for migrants and refugees, due to the administration’s policies.

Chieko Noguchi, a spokesperson for the U.S. bishops, expressed hope that the meeting would lead to positive and engaging dialogue. "We pray that the meeting yields positive and engaging dialogue," Noguchi said, emphasizing the challenges faced by the Church in the U.S.

Vance, who visited the Vatican earlier in the week for a religious ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica, is in Italy for the Easter weekend. The outcome of his meeting with Vatican officials will be closely watched as the Trump administration continues to face criticism from the Catholic Church on key policy issues.

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