US Vice-President JD Vance is visiting Rome to meet Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and hopes for a brief encounter with Pope Francis, which would symbolize a thaw in Vatican-Washington relations amid tensions over migration and moral leadership. Vance's visit is significant as it marks his first trip to Europe since criticizing European leaders at the Munich Security Conference. The meeting with Meloni is expected to strengthen ideological alliances, while a potential meeting with the Pope could impact perceptions of Vance's stance on Catholicism.