U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged this week that he could have chosen his words more carefully when discussing American Catholic bishops and their stance on immigration enforcement. The comments, originally made during a January 2025 appearance on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” suggested that bishops who opposed the Trump administration’s approach to immigration should consider whether financial concerns influenced their positions.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has received significant government funding for its refugee resettlement program, but the organization maintains that these grants do not fully cover the program’s expenses.
In February, Cardinal Timothy Dolan stated in an interview with EWTN News that Vance had apologized for his earlier remarks. In a subsequent March 4 interview with the Washington Post, Vance did not dispute having apologized but said he did not recall the specifics of his conversation with Dolan.
“I’m not saying he’s lying, but I mean, look, sometimes I say things too harshly. I say things too directly,” Vance told the newspaper.
The vice president admitted he “could have made that comment more carefully without going too hard” on U.S. bishops.
He also explained to the Washington Post that he spoke with Dolan about ensuring “your financial interests and the immigration issue don’t actually cloud your judgment.” According to reports, Vance did not immediately respond to a request for further comment from EWTN News on March 4.
Vance noted differences between his responsibilities and those of Church leaders: while admiring the Catholic Church’s commitment to charity, he emphasized his duty to prioritize American safety and prosperity.
“And sometimes that means that possibly very good people that the Catholic Church are ministering to, I have to say, ‘Has that person come into our country legally?’” Vance said in his interview. “And if not, should we try to do something to change that?”
Vance described efforts to address disagreements between government policies and Church positions as being managed “in a spirit of charity.”
Cardinal Dolan told EWTN News in February that although there are disagreements with some of Vance’s positions, he holds a positive view of the vice president.
“I enjoy him a lot,” Dolan said at the time. “I agree with a bunch of stuff that he talks about, you bet.”
Daniel Payne contributed reporting for this article.
