JD Vance heckles at Turning Point event
J.D. Vance faced heckler interference while speaking at the Turning Point event at the University of Georgia amid heightened tensions over foreign policy.
Vice President J.D. Vance was interrupted this week while answering questions at an event in Georgia when protesters accused him of genocide and “murdering children.”
The protester made the remarks during the Turning Point USA event at the University of Georgia on Tuesday, April 14, when the host asked Vance what it was like to be in the middle of a disagreement between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.
On April 10, the Pope posted on X that God and his followers “will never be on the side of those who once wielded swords and today drop bombs.” President Trump has since called the Pope “weak.” While responding to the moderator’s question about being in the middle of a debate between Trump and the Pope, Vance asserted that God is on the side of those who liberated France and other oppressed groups from the Nazis.
Then a demonstrator shouted, “Jesus Christ does not support genocide.” Vance agreed, but soon heard voices saying, “You’re committing genocide in Gaza.”
After Vance finished answering the moderator’s first question, he defended the Trump administration.
“Who got the peace deal in Gaza? Donald J. Trump,” Vance said. “If you want to complain about what happened in Gaza, why not complain to the previous administration, Joe Biden? We are the administration that solved that problem.”
Immediately afterwards, people in the audience shouted, “They’re killing children” and “They’re bombing children.”
In response, Vance said he was proud of the Trump administration’s efforts and “humanitarian assistance” in Gaza.
“Whether it’s there or in Thailand or Cambodia, we’ve consistently done everything we can to solve these problems rather than just complain about them,” he said.
Where did the protests occur?
The event was a stop on Turning Point USA’s “This Is the Turning Point Tour,” a college campus junket featuring speakers such as Erica Kirk, Donald Trump Jr. and Savannah Chrisley.
Other stops scheduled include Ohio State University in Columbus on April 21st, Baylor University in Waco, Texas, on April 22nd, and the University of Idaho on April 28th.
What did Pope Leo XIV say about the Iran war?
The protesters’ comments came as the vice president was responding to a question about the ongoing altercation between Trump and Leo. The first American pope has previously made comments condemning war. Leo said on April 7 that war in Iran is “truly unacceptable.”
“I would like to encourage citizens of all concerned countries to contact the authorities, including political leaders and parliamentarians, to urge and tell them to work for peace and reject war and violence,” Leo said that day.
In response to a “60 Minutes” segment about Leo earlier this month, President Trump criticized the Pope on Truth Social. On the same day the special aired, President Trump wrote, “Pope Leo is bad on crime, but terrible on foreign policy.”
“I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons,” President Trump said on April 12, claiming that the pope earned that title simply because he is American. The president also claimed that the pope was afraid of the Trump administration, saying the pope should “use common sense, stop pandering to the radical left, and focus on being a great pope, not a politician.”
President Trump also shared a now-deleted photo of himself depicted as a Christ-like figure.
On April 13, on a flight to Algeria, the pope told reporters: “I am not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loud the message of the Gospel. I believe that is what I am here to do and that is what the Church must be here to do.”
Regarding the spat between Trump and Leo, Vance said at a Turning Point USA event that the pope’s job is to “preach the gospel.”
The vice president said he respects the pope and has no problem with him speaking out on issues, but warned religious leaders.
“Just like it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when he speaks about public policy issues, I think it’s very important for the pope to be careful when he speaks about theological issues,” Vance said.
Contributor: Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s Trends team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – 757. Please send your email to: sdmartin@usatoday.com.
