Vance's Antichrist comments are a 'common belief', his friend tells BBC

Vance's Antichrist comments are a 'common belief', his friend tells BBC

Recent comments by US Vice-President JD Vance about the Antichrist and "the end times" reflect a "very, very common belief", according to one of his friends.

Vance recently discussed his religious views while answering a question on a Christian podcast. He said he would "not [be] shocked if the Antichrist was walking among us" and wondered whether the end of the world was near.

His friend Rod Dreher, a conservative writer, dismissed any idea that the remarks would damage the vice-president. He told the BBC's Today programme: "Most Americans who are inclined to vote Republican already believe this stuff."

In his podcast remarks, Vance also made clear that such thoughts did not dominate his mind.

In Christianity, the phrase "end times" refers to beliefs about what will happen at the end of the world. Many churches believe God has a divine plan for the end of everything.

The Antichrist, meanwhile, is viewed as God's enemy who emerges during the final stage of the world's existence and takes control of it.

Vance, who became a Catholic as an adult, spoke about these subjects during a recent podcast conversation with Bryce Crawford, a US Christian podcaster.

"Do I think that we're in the end times? I don't know," he said. "And I think that it's probably bad for me spiritually to focus too much on it, because there are, like, things you gotta do.

"I gotta be good to my wife. I gotta be good to my kids. I have to be as good of a leader as I can for the United States of America."

The vice-president went on to say: "I think that there are, like, things about the world that make me feel, like, not shocked if the Antichrist was walking among us."

But Vance repeated that he was focused on being vice-president, saying: "What I'm trying to focus on is doing as much of God's work as possible right now."

Responding to Vance's comments about the Antichrist, Dreher said: "This might sound bonkers to someone who is outside the Christian religion, but it is a very, very common belief within Christianity."

He said his friend was merely describing a world that seemed to be going "crazy" because of the rapid rise of AI and continuing conflicts.

Dreher, who was present when Vance was received into the Catholic Church, said Ronald Reagan had made similar remarks when he was US president, and that voters saw this as "perfectly normal".

Vance converted to Catholicism in 2019, then in his mid-30s, and has spoken about how the Church aligned with his family and social values and his conservative politics.

Since becoming vice-president, he has occasionally clashed with Pope Leo and his papal predecessor Francis over issues including the Trump administration's immigration policy.

Vance is due to appear behind the lectern on Thursday afternoon to deliver the first White House press briefing since the departure of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.