Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Vice President Vance has forgotten that worship of “false idols” and support of individuals who tell “lies” is a breach of Catholic law.

“I think what JD Vance is forgetting is the commandment that thou shalt not worship false idols,” Beshear told MS NOW’s Jen Psaki on Wednesday. “Thankfully, he’s a better apologist than he is a peace negotiator, and all he’s doing is defending Donald Trump at all costs.”

“This is a president who has attacked the pope multiple times, who is just trying to live out and speak the New Testament,” Beshear, who has garnered attention in recent weeks as a potential contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, said. “He’s apologizing for a guy who is picturing himself as Jesus and then claiming, ‘No, I thought it was a doctor,’ therefore violating ‘thou shalt not lie.’”

Beshear’s comments come as senior White House officials and Pope Leo XIV have traded criticism on each other’s approach to religion amid the war in Iran.

The U.S., which first launched joint strikes with Israel on Tehran in February, is approaching the end of a two-week ceasefire deal with Iran.

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans again blocked a resolution to limit the president’s war authority in Iran in accordance with the War Powers Act.

Vance, a Catholic, has backed Trump’s criticism of the pope in recent weeks, including comments where the president accused the pope of being “weak on crime.” Vance argued it wasn’t “newsworthy.”

He also defended a controversial AI-generated image that depicted Trump as a Jesus-like figure, calling it a “joke.” Trump later took the image down after facing backlash from some of his political supporters and told CBS News he thought the post portrayed him as a doctor. Vance claimed he took it down “because he realized that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humor.”

On Tuesday, Vance addressed the pope’s opposition to the conflict in Iran directly, warning him to “be careful” when speaking about theology.

“God does not bless any conflict,” the pope posted on the social platform X last Friday. “Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,” the pope posted to X on Thursday.

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