Stephen Colbert laid into JD Vance after the vice president issued a warning to Pope Leo XIV for criticizing Donald Trump’s Iran war.
During Wednesday’s monologue for “The Late Show,” the comedian called out his fellow Catholic, reminding the vice president that he was relatively new to the religion and was “over [his] Catholic skis here.”
“Yesterday at a Turning Point USA conference down in Georgia, Vance had some sharp words for Pope Leo over the pope’s criticism of Trump’s Iran war,” Colbert explained to his studio audience before playing footage of the vice president’s message for the pope.
Specifically, the vice president told the crowd: “In the same way that it’s important for the Vice President of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
This, unsurprisingly, inspired longtime Catholic Colbert to weigh in. “Wow. Hey, hey, hey, JD. I know you’re Catholic, but you joined in 2019,” he said. “I’ve been genuflecting since the mid 1960s. And let me tell you, brother, I think you’re out over your Catholic skis here. I think it’s time for you to sit down. Then stand back up.”
He continued: “Then kneel. Then stand again. Then shake hands with people around you. Then kneel a little more. Then go take communion. And then go back to your pew for some more kneeling. ‘Cause you’re not sneaking out of here after communion. ‘Cause you know who left the last supper early? Judas.”
Vance’s message to the pope came amid the president’s ongoing beef with the holy leader, which saw him posting not one, but two AI-generated Jesus memes in order to defend his stance.
Colbert, of course, had plenty to say about Trump’s second AI-made meme, especially after the first sparked so much controversy.
“So today, to win back the Christian voters he offended by depicting himself as AI Jesus, Trump put up a new post depicting himself canoodling with AI Jesus,” Colbert noted. “They’re they’re ‘Swayzing.’ Beautiful.”
Watch Colbert’s full monologue above.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.
