J.D. Vance took the stage at the March for Life to thunderous applause, positioning himself as a champion of conservative Catholic values. With Republican heavyweights like Ron DeSantis and Mike Johnson in attendance, the rally was a display of political and religious unity—or so it seemed. Just two days later, Vance went on Face the Nation and publicly attacked Catholic bishops, seeming to accuse them of financially benefiting from immigration policies and failing to support law enforcement.
In this episode of Complexified, Amanda Henderson and RNS journalist Aleja Hertzler-McCain explore the contradictions in Vance’s political and religious journey—his late-in-life conversion to Catholicism, his embrace of Catholic integralism, and his balancing act between conservative ideology and Trump’s agenda. Why did he shift from echoing traditional Catholic rhetoric at the March for Life to distancing himself from the church’s leaders on immigration? What does this reveal about the evolving priorities of the religious right and the tensions between power and principle?
This episode unpacks the clashing allegiances, ideological fractures, and power struggles at the intersection of religion and politics in America today.
So today, as we wrap up our spring fundraising campaign in just a few days, I'm asking for your help. Can you make a gift today to ensure our journalists have the resources they need to keep bringing you this reporting? Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of this month, all of it to support this vital work. Any amount helps! We're grateful you care about this news, and that you come to RNS to read it. Thank you.