Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy, is facing backlash online after posting a controversial and unfounded comment about Vice President JD Vance and the recent death of Pope Francis.
The 31-year-old, known for being JFK’s only grandson, sparked outrage on social media after writing on X (formerly Twitter):
“Okay, JD killed the pope.”
The post, which appeared to be an attempt at humor (though many aren’t convinced), was made Monday morning—just as the world was mourning the news of Pope Francis’s death at age 88. The comment quickly went viral, racking up over 470,000 views and drawing widespread criticism.
People slammed Schlossberg’s post as “disgusting,” “insensitive,” and “utterly inappropriate.” One user wrote, “This is shameful,” while another added, “Completely disrespectful. Not even close to funny.” Others pointed out Schlossberg’s Catholic heritage and family legacy, saying he should have known better.
Schlossberg—full name John “Jack” Bouvier Kennedy Schlossberg—is the youngest child of Caroline Kennedy and the only grandson of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Despite his prestigious background and education from Yale and Harvard Law and Business School, he’s known on social media for posting political opinions, quirky selfies, and comedic videos featuring exaggerated accents.
What may have fueled the tweet is the fact that JD Vance met Pope Francis just one day before the pontiff died. Vance, who was visiting Rome for Easter, had a brief, unscheduled private audience with the Pope following Easter Mass. The visit was considered meaningful for Vance, a convert to Catholicism.
In an interview afterward, Vance noted that the Pope appeared visibly frail and shared one of the Pope’s early pandemic prayers. Vatican officials later confirmed that Pope Francis died from a massive stroke. He reportedly woke up around 6 a.m. before suddenly falling into a coma by 7 a.m. He passed away shortly after, at 7:35 a.m., in his Vatican residence—peacefully, and not in the hospital.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell called him “a true disciple” committed to the poor and marginalized. The Pope famously chose to live in a modest Vatican guesthouse rather than the traditional papal apartments and often used public transport instead of the papal motorcade. He was also known for taking a hard stance against the Italian mafia, even excommunicating members from the Catholic Church.
As tributes continue to pour in for Pope Francis, Schlossberg’s comment has struck a nerve with many who believe it crossed the line—especially given the solemn nature of the news.
Rest in peace, Pope Francis.