VP Vance Apologizes to Catholic Bishops for 'Inaccurate' Remarks

Vance privately retracted claims that bishops profited from immigration, according to Cardinal Dolan.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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Former Vice President JD Vance has reportedly admitted behind closed doors that one of his first official statements as vice president, in which he accused Catholic bishops of profiting off of immigrants, was "not true." According to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the former archbishop of New York, Vance later sought forgiveness from Dolan for the "scurrilous" and "very nasty" remarks.

Why it matters

Vance's comments about the Catholic Church's stance on immigration sparked outrage and accusations of anti-Catholic bias. His private apology and retraction suggest a rift between the vice president and the Catholic leadership, which has been outspoken in its criticism of the Trump administration's deportation policies.

The details

Shortly after joining the White House in January 2025, Vance claimed that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was only speaking out against President Trump's immigration policies because they were profiting off of immigrants. However, Cardinal Dolan told EWTN News that Vance later apologized to him privately, saying "That was out of line and that's not true." Dolan had previously blasted Vance's comments as "scurrilous," "very nasty," and "inaccurate."

  • In January 2025, Vance made the controversial remarks about the Catholic bishops.
  • Vance later privately apologized to Cardinal Dolan for the comments.

The players

JD Vance

The former vice president who converted to Catholicism in 2019 and made critical comments about the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan

The former archbishop of New York who delivered the invocation at both of President Trump's inaugurations and criticized Vance's remarks as "scurrilous," "very nasty," and "inaccurate."

Donald Trump

The former president whose immigration policies were criticized by the Catholic bishops.

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What they’re saying

“He and I had a little tete-a-tete, you probably know, when he suggested that bishops in the United States were pro-immigrant because we were making money. And he apologized. He said, 'That was out of line and that's not true.'”

— Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Former Archbishop of New York (EWTN News)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the tensions between the Trump administration and the Catholic Church leadership over immigration policies, as well as the potential for political figures to make inflammatory statements that they later retract privately. It underscores the importance of open dialogue and mutual understanding between government officials and religious leaders on sensitive issues.