White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Vance passed a long a letter to the pope from President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump “extending their warm wishes and inviting him to the White House as soon as he possibly can” visit.

Vice President JD Vance officially invited Pope Leo XIV to the White House, following a “cordial” conversation between the two men on Monday at the Vatican. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also at the meeting,

Vance and Rubio had a “cordial” meeting with Pope Leo XIV about relations between the U.S. and the Vatican, and finding solutions to international conflicts.