John F. Kennedy’s grandson has ignited a firestorm of controversy by suggesting Vice President J.D. Vance was responsible for Pope Francis’ death. The accusation came shortly after Vance’s Easter Sunday meeting with the Pope, which has fueled online conspiracy theories among left-wing activists. Are liberals going too far with depicting Vance as some kind of Grim Reaper?
Kennedy Grandson’s Shocking Accusation
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy, stunned social media users with his accusation that Vice President J.D. Vance was responsible for Pope Francis’ death. The inflammatory post simply stated, “Okay JD killed the pope,” coming shortly after the announcement of the 88-year-old pontiff’s passing following a 12-year tenure as head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The accusation followed Vice President Vance’s Easter Sunday meeting with Pope Francis, which took place shortly before the Pope’s death. During what would be their final encounter, the Pope had gifted Vance chocolate Easter eggs, a Vatican tie, and rosaries, showing no indication of the controversy that would erupt following his passing.
Okay JD killed the pope
— Jack Schlossberg (@JBKSchlossberg) April 21, 2025
Coordinated Online Attacks Against the Vice President
Following Schlossberg’s initial post, the internet witnessed what appeared to be coordinated attacks against Vice President Vance. Hashtags like #JDVanceKilledThePope and #Antichrist began trending, demonstrating how quickly political opponents can weaponize even the most solemn occasions.
Schlossberg doubled down on his accusations on Instagram, writing, “WHAT DID JD DO? VP OF LITTLE FAITH meets with Pope YESTERDAY, today Pope dies. Pope Francis is an incredible, towering figure who transformed the Catholic Church to be more DIVERSE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE. his parting gift to us was the fact that he did not like JD VANCE, VP of little Faith, at all.”
It was an honor to meet with Pope Francis, Prime Minister Meloni, and Church officials in Italy this weekend.
Visiting Rome with my family during Holy Week was an incredible experience. pic.twitter.com/pAxKmKxUst
— Vice President JD Vance (@VP) April 21, 2025
Context of the Papal Meeting
The meeting between Vice President Vance and Pope Francis had initially been marked by controversy after an apparent rebuff on April 19. Some interpreted this initial reluctance as a snub due to disagreements on immigration policy between the administration and the Vatican.
Following the Pope’s death, Vance issued a respectful statement saying, “I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.”
Schlossberg has previously defended his controversial social media style, claiming it serves a strategic purpose. “The internet is a place where it’s difficult to break through, and it’s difficult to break through especially if you’re not saying something that’s controversial, or at least, somehow unexpected,” he has stated in past interviews, adding that “The internet is a place to be weird… I use my judgment to make posts that I think are funny or silly but have a purpose.”
This incident highlights the increasingly bitter divide in American politics, where even the death of a global religious figure becomes an opportunity for partisan attacks. Critics across the political spectrum have condemned the tasteless exploitation of Pope Francis’ passing, while supporters of the administration point to this as another example of the desperate lengths opponents will go to undermine legitimate leadership.