ATHENS, Georgia (AP) 鈥� Fresh from a marathon trip to Pakistan that for ending the , Vice President JD Vance jetted to this Georgia college town for a campus tour organized by the conservative powerhouse Turning Point USA.
But instead of showcasing the youthful to return President Donald Trump to the White House less than two years ago, there was a mostly empty arena, awkward questions and unusually sharp criticism.
The event affirmed Trump’s difficulty selling the war and how much he鈥檚 complicated his own political fortunes by assailing Pope Leo XIV and posting a social media meme that depicted himself as Jesus.
鈥淚 did vote for Trump. I am not a Trump supporter anymore,鈥� said Joseph Bercher, a Catholic who said he was glad that Leo has expressed opposition to the war with Iran.
Bercher said the Jesus meme, which the president took down Monday after a was a 鈥渞ed flag鈥� indicating Trump’s true character.
鈥淗e sees himself as like a demagogue or someone to be worshipped,” Bercher said.
C.J. Santini, a recent graduate of Liberty University, an evangelical school in Virginia, said he didn’t have an opinion on whether Iran was truly close to manufacturing a nuclear weapon and thus needed to be attacked. But he laughed and shook his head when asked about Trump attacking Leo.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just stupid. Stupid,鈥� he said, calling it a 鈥渄istraction鈥� from Trump鈥檚 agenda in Iran and at home.
Mostly empty arena contrasts with 2024 rallies
Many of the college-age attendees donned Turning Point attire, Trump hats and red-white-and-blue paraphernalia for the event. Yet they were outnumbered more than 2-to-1 by empty seats in what is not even the largest arena on this sprawling campus that sits about a 90-minute drive from downtown Atlanta.
A Marine veteran who served in Iraq, Vance acknowledged that not all young conservatives are enamored with another U.S. war in the Middle East.
鈥淚鈥檓 not saying you have to agree with me on every issue,鈥� Vance told the young crowd. 鈥淲hat I鈥檓 saying,鈥� he added, 鈥渋s don鈥檛 get disengaged.鈥�
The vice president took questions from Turning Point executive Andrew Kolvet instead of Erika Kirk, who began leading the organization after Charlie Kirk. Kolvet said Erika Kirk canceled her plans to be on stage because of unspecified threats she had received.
Vance, whose presence ensured significant Secret Service and other law enforcement protection around the venue, said he鈥檇 been worried that the event would be canceled altogether.
Kolvet asked Vance directly about the war and Trump鈥檚 back-and-forth with Leo. Audience questions were more aggressive. Vance jousted with at least one heckler over the war in Gaza, and he was pressed by another person over the administration鈥檚 handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files.
In the audience, even some of Vance鈥檚 sympathetic listeners offered caveats and critiques.
鈥淭he pope needs to stay out of politics,鈥� said Jessie Williams, a Methodist. But he noted his mother is Catholic, and he said he understands why Catholics recoil at Trump calling the pope 鈥渨eak鈥� and suggesting that the first U.S.-born pontiff was chosen only as a counter to Trump.
Williams called Trump鈥檚 meme distasteful.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 like it, but it鈥檚 鈥� what can we do?” Williams said. “He鈥檚 a grown man, he鈥檚 gonna do what he wants.鈥�
Blake McCluggage, a Baptist, said he did not approve of the meme or Trump鈥檚 profane Easter Sunday message that threatened widespread destruction of Iran鈥檚 civilian infrastructure.
The threat, plus Trump鈥檚 follow up message that a 鈥渨hole civilization鈥� would die, , with the pope calling the president鈥檚 comments 鈥渢ruly unacceptable.鈥�
However, McCluggage said, 鈥測ou can still be a Republican鈥� despite disagreeing with Trump.
Vance adjusts his comments about the pope
A day before coming to Georgia, Vance tried to laugh off the meme as a joke that 鈥渁 lot of people weren鈥檛 understanding.鈥� The vice president also seemed to echo Trump鈥檚 assertion that Leo should concentrate less on global affairs.
鈥淚t would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of what鈥檚 going on in the Catholic church and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy,鈥� Vance said in a Fox 太子探花 interview.
On stage in Athens, he shifted his arguments, saying he welcomes Leo鈥檚 comments even if he disagrees with them.
鈥淎t the very least, it invites conversation,鈥� said Vance, who converted to Catholicism as an adult.
Still, Vance questioned Leo anew, pushing back specifically at the pope鈥檚 Palm Sunday assertion that God does not hear the prayers of those who make war. Leo was quoting scripture from the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Vance asked whether God was on the side of Allied forces in World War II as they liberated Jewish survivors of Nazi鈥檚 extermination camps.
鈥淚 certainly think the answer is yes,鈥� Vance said. When Leo mixes global affairs and complex theology, Vance said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 very important for the pope to be careful.鈥�
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