Vice Presidential Pool Reports of May 18, 2025

VP print pool report #5 - Italy - pool on site at Vatican

Good morning from St. Peter's Square, where just pass 7 a.m. local time your Vance pool is stationed ahead of his expected arrival for the pope's inagural mass. Given Vatican rules and timing for press entry and access, the pool will not have eyes on VP's movements this morning ahead of his arrival on site, but I will provide updates on those as I have them.

As a reminder, the mass is expected to start at 10 a.m. LOCAL time, or 4 a.m. ET.

In the meantime, overnight, the VP from his official X account posted photos of his closed-press visit Saturday evening to Pope Francis' tomb.

VP print pool report #6 - Italy - Vance en route to papal mass

VP Vance's motorcade departed his lodging location shortly after 9:30 am local time en route to the pope's inaugural mass, per a spokesperson for the VP. He is expected on site shortly.

As a reminder: Pool was required to pre-set on site much earlier so your pooler did not have eyes on Vance departure.

Vance print pool report #7 - Italy - Vance arrives at Vatican

VP Vance arrived at the Vatican at 9:42 am local time per a spokesperson.

Reminder that the mass is scheduled to begin at 10 am local time, or 4 am ET.

Further Vance-related updates and movements will come as necessary.

VP print pool report #8 - Italy - Vance takes his seat at papal mass

VP Vance and second lady Usha Vance walked out to their seats in St. Peter's Square at about 9:47 am LOCAL time, trailed by Secretary of State Rubio and his wife, Jeanette.

Vance shook hands and chatted with other attendees as he made his way to his seat, which is in the first row to the right of the dais (if you're facing the dais), four seats in. He and the second lady were to be seated with delegations from Peru, where the new pope was naturalized as a citizen, and Italy.

Mass underway at 10 am local time as expected.

VP print pool report #9 - Italy - WH official says Vance trip ends in Rome

From a White House official, responding to Israeli media reports that VP Vance will add a Tuesday trip to Israel after wrapping his Rome travel:

"Media reports that the Vice President will visit Israel are false. While the Secret Service has engaged in contingency planning for the addition of several potential countries, no additional visits were at any point decided upon, and logistical constraints have precluded an extension of his travel beyond Rome. He will return to Washington on Monday."

VP print pool report #10 - Italy - greeting pope and leaving Vatican

The VP's motorcade left the Vatican at 12:40 pm local time.

Before exiting St. Peter's Square, the vice president and second lady greeted Pope Leo XIV, a spokesperson for the VP said.

Pool was not present for the interaction or for the departure, having been taken to press vans as the mass was winding down.

Motorcade arrived at VP's lodging location at 12:55 pm local time.

Vance print pool report #11 - Italy - trilat with Meloni and EU's von der Leyen set

FLAG: VP Vance will hold a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Meloni of Italy and President von der Leyen of the European Commission in the 3 pm local / 9 am ET hour.

VP print pool report #12 - Italy - Meeting with ZELENSKY

Per a spokesperson to the vice president:

VP Vance is now meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. They are joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

The meeting is taking place at the Villa Taverna, The U.S. ambassador's residence.

The meeting was closed to pool. Press is holding at Chigi Palace for the upcoming trilateral.

Vance print pool report - Italy - arrival at Chigi Palace and trilat with Meloni

VP Vance arrived at Chigi Palace, the seat of Italy's government, at 3:35 pm local time, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

They were greeted in the courtyard by an honor guard and by Prime Minister Meloni, who exchanged a brief embrace and kisses on both cheeks with the vice president. They posed for several photos.

Also in the courtyard was President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who arrived minutes before Vance for the trilateral.

Pool was then escorted to a meeting room for brief remarks from Meloni, Vance and von der Leyen. Pool was then ushered out for their trilateral to continue. Pool now holding at 3:55 pm in a separate room at Chigi Palace. Additional notes, quotes and Otter of those opening trilat remarks to follow in a subsequent report.

VP print pool - highlights from Vance/Meloni/von der Leyen trilat

Quotes from the opening moments/pool spray of a trilateral meeting involving VP Vance, Italian PM Meloni and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. But please check against Otter (linked below).

NOTE: Aside from von der Leyen's reference to Ukraine, the Russia-Ukraine war did not come up in remarks open to pool. There was no mention of VP Vance's meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky, which happened right before the trilat.

Prime Minister Meloni opened the meeting, saying that she convened it as a way to bring US-EU to the table:

"First of all, thank you for having accepted my invitation. When I came to Washington, I was proposing President Trump meeting between the EU and the US, and I'm proud that after one month, there is this initial meeting in which we can sit down and share our points of view, trying to go on. We know how important the relations between the EU and the US [are] for a strong West, for our civilization, also for our economic relations. … And so I hope that this meeting can be the beginning, let's say it like that."

VP Vance responded in kind, also offered a note on the papal mass:

"Thank you, Prime Minister Meloni, who's become a good friend of mine — and I know I speak to the president, I say we're both big fans of yours. And of course, of Italy. The people of Italy have been most gracious, especially today, which was a beautiful ceremony, and all credit goes to the Vatican, but of course, your government to make it possible for so many foreign leaders to come in and celebrate Pope Leo's inaugural mass. Of course, the American pope. the United States is very proud of them, very thrilled with them, and certainly our prayers go with him. ...

"I'm looking forward to this conversation. One of the things that Prime Minister Meloni has offered to do, and of course, the president and I are excited to accept, is really to be a bridge-builder, I think, in some ways, between Europe and the United States. I've said repeatedly that I think Europe is an important ally of the United States. The individual countries within Europe are important allies of the United States. But of course, we have some disagreements, as friends sometimes do on issues like trade, and we also have many agreements and many things that we can work on together. And I'm looking forward to this conversation. So I appreciate Prime Minister Melanie's hospitality. I appreciate Commissioner von der Leyen being here and being willing to engage in this conversation, I think we'll have a great conversation, and hopefully will be the beginning of some long term trade negotiations and some long term trade advantages between both Europe and the United States.

President von der Leyen:

First of all, thank you very much to Giorgia for your hospitality, for having received us here today, for enabling this bilateral. So, a wonderful day in the Vatican. Thank you very much for that. And Vice President, it's good to see you again. We met in Paris now here in Rome. And, as you said, we have a very special and close relationship. If I may look at trade, indeed, we have the largest trade relationship in the world, with more than $1.5 trillion per year. Very much intertwined. So it is important now we've exchanged papers that our experts are deep-diving, discussing the details. Everybody knows that the devil is in the details, but what unites us is that at the end, we want together to have a good deal for both sides.

"I would like also to raise the topic of Ukraine. What unites us is that we want a just and lasting peace. And I know how much you are engaged in ending this war, and thank you for that. So what is important now is certainly that we push that things are moving forward, and I think the next week will be crucial on that. And finally, perhaps an important topic between us also is a topic of defense. And I know that the European member states have to step up investment in defense. This is why, as a commission, we have enabled the use of up to 800 billion euros for the next four years for defense investment. And this, of course, will strengthen the European Union. But we know that strong Europe means always also strong NATO. So we will certainly take stock at the NATO summit, but today, very glad to be here for this trilateral."

OTTER LINK: https://otter.ai/u/Gj4R0zW4dqvdoRe_3rxqThRCEBo?utm_source=copy_url

VP print pool report - Italy - Trilateral is over

Per a VP spokesperson, the trilateral meeting with Vance, Meloni and von der Leyen ended at approximately 4:50pm local time.

The VP departed Chigi Palace at 4:55pm.

Pool is back at hotel - and will update on any movements as needed.

VP print pool - Vance meeting with Canadian PM in Rome

A spokesperson for Vice President Vance sends this note to the pool traveling with him in Rome:

Vice President Vance is now meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada.

The meeting is began shortly after 5:00pmand taking place at the Villa Taverna, The U.S. ambassador's residence.

Pooler note: This and any other meetings Vance takes tonight are expected to be closed to the pool.

VP print pool - Italy - more Vance meetings

Per a VP spokesperson:

UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy joined Vice President Vance and Prime Minster Carney at about 5:35 pm local time.

That meeting has concluded, and the Canadian and British leaders have departed.