Question

JD vance killed the pope

Answer 1

This claim is false. The user "lilypetz" is not a known journalist or public figure. There are no other sources linked to this claim that JD Vance killed the pope. JD Vance is a U.S. Senator who is a well-known public figure. This would be global news if it were true. After a quick internet search online and looking at reputable sources, there are no results or reports of JD Vance being Involved with the death of the pope. According to the Vatican News, Dr. Andrea Arcangeli released the official medical report. The report states that the Pope had "prior history of acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes" (Vatican News). The cause of his death was ruled as a stroke which was then followed by a coma, and then cardiocirculatory collapse. No where in this report is JD Vance involved. This claim does not appear anywhere else online outside of this post, and most likely was fabricated or intended to be satire. According to CNN the cause of death was also a stroke. There is zero evidence which supports this claim. JD Vance did not kill the pope, and the pope passes away from a stroke.

Sources:

Pope's death due to stroke and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse - Vatican News

Pope Francis dies at 88 - news and tributes | CNN

Comments

I appreciate the amount of research and information that you have provided to support your claim. This demonstrates the importance of using reputable sources because the world is filled with fake news and easily misleading claims. You accurately analyze your sources and directly connect them to your fact check and it was a pleasure to read your fact check.

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I appreciate your focus on the people behind the claim rather than just disproving the claim. Deciphering who's behind different parts of a claim is an important part of media literacy, and you did it well.

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I like how you provided context for the claim. Nice job being concise but also very explanatory.

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This is a great factcheck. Although the claim that JD Vance killed the pope can be quickly corrected with a simple google search, you went beyond with reputable sources and facts. I like how you point out that the original claim was not backed by anything, and the person making the claim is also not a known journalist or public figure. I appreciate the detail.

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While you are correct, JD Vance has no direct ties to the death of the pope, you ar not entirely correct in your reasoning; yes, the idea of VP Vance causing the popes death was likely created in satire, it is unlikely that this user created that idea, and it does come from a vague circumstantial connection to his visiting the pope just days before the pope's passing. There is also the note of strongly contrasting political views between the Trump Administration--which Vance is obviously a large piece of--and the pope which might lead individuals to believe there to be ulterior motive for his visit. Again you are technically right that the pope died to natural causes, but there is much more to the story.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-franciss-death-mic-drop-235856147.html?guccounter=1
https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-pope-francis-vatican-meeting-abf9e1a3fbb597778779dafdc6c491d2
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

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I like that you attempted to look into the user behind this claim and find the source of the false information, likely being satire. Using the official medical source is an effective use of primary sources. Good job on this fact-check and on using multiple sources.

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This is a great factcheck because you really made sure people knew that JD Vance had no ties to the pope at all therefore he could not have killed the pope. You really made sure people knew that this was false and that it was a really unnecessary thing to say.

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I like how you start off with the merit of the person who posted this. I also like how you explain the importance of this if it were true. I also like how you explained how one could also find the answer to this as well.

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That part about checking who “lilypetz” is was a nice touch too—it shows you took the time to actually look into the source, which a lot of people skip. The way you explained the pope’s real cause of death with medical details made it super clear there was no connection to JD Vance, and the way you tied it all together at the end just wrapped it up perfectly. It reads like something I’d believe right away—calm, reasonable, and backed up with facts. Nicely done.

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I appreciate how much detail you put into your factcheck. You provided evidence to disprove the claim and provided a further explanation on JD Vance. I like how you were very explanatory and cleared the fact that the Pope passed away from a stroke and not by JD Vance. I do not have much to say about revision. You did a great job at clearing up the facts and was clear with your statements. There are many false claims online, and you were able to find a reliable article to provide evidence.

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This is an obvious false claim, with no evidence or proof given on this claim, it seems more of a forced conspiracy theory than a news headline.

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Great job addressing the claim, but I would suggest digging a bit deeper into why the initial post might have gained traction in the first place. False claims often spread because they tap into existing narratives or emotions. It's important to think about why people might have believed this in the first place—was there any misleading information circulating before this post? Also, your sources are solid, but did you consider the possibility of disinformation being spread through lesser-known platforms, like social media or conspiracy websites? It's worth considering that the claim might be deliberately fabricated to provoke an emotional reaction rather than an honest mistake.

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I appreciate the time and effort you took to find multiple sources to disprove such an obviously false claim. In a time where misinformation is such a major issue, sometimes we need to go the extra mile to prove things are false. Well done.

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You did a good job explaining why the claim is false and backing it up very well. The fact-check itself nicely shuts down the claim with solid proof and using trusted sources like Vatican News and CNN. It’s clear but could use some trimming because of the repetitiveness in some areas.

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This was a great way to respond to this. While this is in fact a blatantly false claim, it was also very political, and you handled it well. Able to keep to the facts, and nothing but the facts. And, a plus was keeping it simple in the end. Also, thank you for just adding sources and not just putting them in some elaborate sentence like some people.

Answer 2

This claim is false. According to the Vatican News, "The cause of Pope Francis' death has been identified as a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse." Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health. Even though JD Vance was seen with the Pope before he died, it was known that the Pope was suffering from illnesses. According to ABC News, there's a timeline of what he's been suffering from before he met JD Vance.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/timeline-pope-francis-health-issues-hospitalization-final-apperance/story?id=121004757

Comments

What I like about this answer is the variation in sources. This is because it allows for more perspective to be given, but also allows for a significant source and a small source to reflect the claim better. This allows your point to be provided, but it also shows that a significant source like ABC and a small local news outlet can show that anyone with proper trust and sourcing can make the correct claim.

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Finding the true reason for the pope's death was a great way to instantly dismantle this bizarre claim. If JD Vance was responsible there would be a lot more coverage rather than this idea that is spreading across social media. The sources used are valid and the Vatican will give you true information compared to a random Twitter account making the claim.

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You did a great job laying everything out clearly and backing it up with solid sources. I liked how you used both Vatican News and ABC News to show the timeline of the Pope’s health issues. It really helped shut down the claim with facts. The detail about the official cause of death and including a medical professional’s statement made your response feel credible and well researched.

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Very well-thought out response. The inclusion of the medical explanation and timeline gives necessary context, and it’s helpful that you acknowledged the Pope’s pre-existing health conditions rather than jumping to conclusions based on who he was seen with. this evidence based response is exactly what’s needed to keep these discussions accurate, especially around sensitive topics like this.

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It was nice that you used public media, along with medical data in order to prove this claim wrong. It helps people without fact-checking experience see that this is in fact wrong, and it also helps clear up any doubts thanks to the medical information on the Pope's already critical state. this was a nice, simple response.

Answer 3

This claim is false. There is zero evidence pointing towards JD Vance’s involvement in The Pope’s death. While most of these claims stem from jokes, some people have genuinely become suspicious surrounding the passing of The Pope. Pope Francis died in the early morning hours on April 21st, 2025 at the age of 88. Vatican News states that he died, “due to stroke and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.” The jokes and statements of JD Vance’s involvement in The Popes death started circulating after the two had a meeting the day prior, Easter Sunday. 

A link to JD Vance’s Tweet regarding The Popes death: https://x.com/JDVance/status/1914239114406191255

A link to an article from Vatican News: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

Comments

I agree with this answer. It clearly separates fact from speculation and points out how easily jokes can spiral into misinformation. Just because two events happened close together—like JD Vance’s meeting with the Pope and the Pope’s passing—doesn’t mean they’re connected. It’s important to be careful with what we share, especially when it involves serious topics like someone’s death.

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I agree with this answer. Claims such as these while clearly false, deserve to be answered, in the small chance that someone does believe it. I like how you gave the actual time of his death, and clear facts on the situation.

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I agree with your answer and appreciate your effort to push back on misinformation, and provide valid sources. Your answer did a great job at emphasizing that there is no evidence that connects JD Vance to the Pope’s death, and explaining that the official cause was medically confirmed. This is a clear example of misinformation and shows just how quickly fake news can spread. Providing links to more than one credible source helps reinforce your point, and shows the importance of fact-checking before believing claims.

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I like how straight to the point you were, and I appreciate how you talked about the source behind how the claim and conversation were started and how it developed. This includes your tweet about the topic and the article addressing it. I also like how you included the specific time and date of the death, it made your answer feel more reliable and well-researched.  All around good comment.

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This is a solid fact check. The initial post is clear speculation and points out that the claim is likely an internet troll. I will add that while this was a relatively easy post to debunk, a tweet from JD Vance is not a strong source to add when fact-checking.

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I agree with this answer, as it's apparent that this was a joke that went too far. There are many internet conspiracies involving famous people's relevance in mass attacks, and this is clearly another one.

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I appreciate you acknowledging that this claim is viewed as a joke to most people, yet you took the time to thoroughly go through the fact checking process for those who may be skeptical. Also, providing a link to an official statement from the Vatican gives the reader the legitimate reason behind The Pope's death, which was cardio circulatory collapse.

Answer 4

This claim is false.

There are multiple factors that contributed toward the death of the Pope. One of them being his age--88 years old. According to Vatican News, the cause of his death was identified as a stroke that was then followed by a coma. There has been no forensic evidence that JD Vance killed the Pope as it was stated on Yahoo News that JD Vance and Pope Francis were set to meet but he was not in attendance for that meeting so they sent Cardinal Pietro Parolin to meet with Vance instead. 

Sources: 

https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/pope-francis-dies-age-88-reaction/#

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-franciss-death-mic-drop-235856147.html

Comments

You did a good job using sources from both the US and directly from the Vatican, as well as cross-referencing the facts across your three searches. Your answer was very direct and concise. However i do think you should have mentioned that VP Vance did briefly meet the Pope, as shown on the tweet in the Yahoo News article, in addition to what you said about the Pope not being in attendance for the meeting with Vance.

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I just wanted to chime in and say I agree—this claim about JD Vance being involved in the Pope’s death isn’t backed by any solid evidence. From what I’ve read, the Vatican said the Pope passed away due to a stroke and later fell into a coma. He was also 88, so age definitely played a role. JD Vance wasn’t even at the meeting that was planned; Cardinal Parolin went instead, which Yahoo News also reported.

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You did well in citing multiple sources, and clearly outlining the reasons why JD did in fact not kill the pope. However, the structure of your argument could use some improving, mainly within the long sentence at the end.

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What I like about this claim is the variety of sources. This allows for more perspective and input on the topic. It also highlights the reliability of both the sources and the claim you have given to us. Overall, this disproves that JD Vance played a role in the Pope's death and that it was due to natural causes.

Answer 5

This claim is false. JD Vance and the Pope briefly met on April 20th, with Pope Francis passing away in the morning of April 21st, at the age of 88. In his death certificate, Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli wrote that "Francis died of a stroke and irreversible cardiovascular arrest" (Reuters). Before he died, he fell into a coma. Further, he has suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, a recent lung infection, as well as double pneumonia. These are clear indications of his declining health. Further, correlation does not equal causation. Just because JD Vance met with the Pope a day before, that does not mean that Vance had anything to do with this death. Vance recently tweeted on X that "he was obviously very ill." Though the majority of people claiming he had something to do with the Pope's death are joking, these two events are simply coincidental.

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-has-died-vatican-says-video-statement-2025-04-21/

https://www.thecut.com/article/did-j-d-vance-meet-with-pope-francis-before-his-death.html

https://x.com/JDVance/status/1914239114406191255

Comments

I appreciate the clarifaction here! I think its great you mentioned his declining health before his passing. Some may forget he was suffering for much longer.

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You did a very good job outlining the response by JD Vance in relation to the Popes passing. Though this is a joke on the internet, due to the coincidence of the meeting between the two figures, it was good to outline the long run health problems associated with the Pope that resulted in his passing.

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Citing Reuters and JD Vance’s own tweet lends the argument strong credibility and demonstrates responsible sourcing. I also appreciate that you acknowledge that the claim may be a joke, showing awareness of the issue.

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Good job on the explanation at the beginning. I think you giving context and facts about the popes health clears the air with people believing that Vance killed the pope.

Answer 6

The claim that JD Vance was involved in Pope Francis’ death is false and unsupported by any credible evidence.According to Vatican News, the official cause of death was “a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” as confirmed by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Vatican’s Directorate of Health. The Pope had a documented history of serious medical issues, including respiratory failure, pneumonia, hypertension, and type II diabetes, which had been reported by outlets like ABC News and CNN prior to his passing. While JD Vance did meet with the Pope on Easter Sunday—just one day before the Pope died—there is absolutely no indication from any verified news source that Vance had anything to do with his death. The claim originated from an unverified user (“lilypetz”) and appears to have started as a joke or satire before being taken seriously by some online. Reputable outlets such as CNN and Vatican News make no mention of Vance in relation to the Pope’s death, and Vance himself publicly expressed condolences on social media. This rumor lacks any factual basis and should be regarded as misinformation.

Sources:

• Vatican News – Official Cause of Death

• ABC News – Health Timeline

• CNN – Pope Francis Dies at 88

• JD Vance’s Condolence Tweet

Comments

You gave a very good answer. your sources are reputable and you supported your answer very well. I also liked that you acknowledged that this "claim" is merely a joke/satirical and should not be taken seriously.

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Great job responding to this claim. Not only did you find trusted sources to support your response, but you also found the user that created this rumor as well. I think it is important for people to realize the difference between satire and serious information they read online.

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I appreciate the effort to ground everything in reputable sources, as well as citing multiple outlets and naming the original satirical source. I also liked that you clearly and correctly identified the original claim as satire.

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This answer is put together well. The long list of reputable sources helps support your answer. Clearly stating that the claim might be satire or unserious helps the reader understand the overall validity of the original claim.

Answer 7

The claim that JD Vance killed the Pope is false. Although JD Vance did meet the pope a day before his death, JD is not the reason behind his passing. The user who made the claim has no reputable background and has only been on News Detective for two hours, with a point score of 120. When researching this claim, you can find numerous sources explaining that the pope had been suffering from a respiratory illness well before meeting JD Vance. Some of these sources include The New York Times, Vatican News, and Al Jazeera, all of which are known for being reputable sources. The Pope had experienced many respiratory issues throughout his lifetime, one of which caused him to get part of a lung removed when he was in his early 20s. Ultimately, he was almost 90 years old, and already didn’t have two strong working lungs. His body couldn’t fight off the illness any longer, causing a cerebral stroke, leading to a coma and heart failure. Over the last few days, this claim has been shared in the media countless times, but it is not true. 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/when-and-how-did-pope-francis-die-a-look-at-the-pontiffs-last-days

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

https://www.nytimes.com/article/pope-francis-death-health-problems.html

Comments

I think this is a complete and good answer. It explains the point of view where the claim comes but shuts it down with the real facts and verifiable sources.

Answer 8

The claim that JD Vance killed the Pope is completely false. The user who posted this didn’t provide any source, article, or evidence to support the accusation. There are no credible sources or legitimate reports suggesting that JD Vance had any involvement in the Pope’s death. While some articles mention that Vance was among the last leaders to meet with the Pope, their meeting was based on shared religious beliefs and there’s no indication of any harmful intent. Multiple trusted news outlets, including PBS, one of the most reliable sources among American adults, reported that the Pope passed away from a stroke on Monday, April 21, 2025. He had also been battling pneumonia and other health issues. At 88 years old, pneumonia can be life-threatening, which further explains his declining health. There is no factual basis for the claim linking JD Vance to the Pope’s death

 

Sources: 

https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-pope-francis-vatican-meeting-abf9e1a3fbb597778779dafdc6c491d2 

https://azpbs.org/horizon/2025/04/pope-francis-dies-at-88/

https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/49552-trust-in-media-2024-which-news-outlets-americans-trust

Comments

I like that you are confident in your answer and tell us that it is false confidently. I think it was important that you pointed out that the article that provided this false information did not provide any evidence supporting his claim. Highlighting the details of when and how the pope passed made this answer even more reputable. Very good comment.

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It’s really important to push back on claims like that, especially when there’s no evidence or reliable sources backing them up. You did a great job pointing out that multiple credible outlets—like PBS—confirmed the Pope passed away from health-related causes, including a stroke and pneumonia. At his age, those conditions are sadly very serious.

Answer 9

Not only is this claim false, but it does not provide any facts or argumentation to support the claim. On April 20th United States Vice President JD Vance visited the Vatican and met the Pope, exchanging not more than a handshake and Easter well wishes, as shown in the video of the interaction on AP News. Vatican News reports that the Pope's cause of death was "a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse," confirmed by a doctor in a report released on Monday April 21st. 

Comments

This is a well-written response. Your response was quick and got right to the point that the claim was false. You provided not one but two reputable sources, including the doctor's report of what actually killed the pope, which was in fact not President JD Vance.

Answer 10

This claim is false. According to the official website of Vatican City, which I included a link to, Pope Francis died because of a "stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse". He even had prior medical history that could help explain his death, including acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes. There is no factual correlation between JD Vance meeting the Pope. He died nearly a day after meeting Vance, and while this is a coincidence, there is no reason or way to prove that JD Vance had anything to do with his death.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-death-due-to-stroke-and-irreversible-cardiocircula.html

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/when-did-pope-francis-die-what-time-easter-sunday-appearance/3726606/

Comments

While I find the notion of JD Vance being a lighting rod for bad luck and misfortune to himself and others funny, It's pretty clear that the Pope was on his way out. I was unaware of the fact that the Pope was diabetic, so thanks for pointing that out, it's an interesting little factoid.