Vice Presidential Pool Reports of April 18, 2025

VP pool report #1 4/18: Landing in Rome + schedule today

Bongiorno from Rome, where it's so far a drizzly Good Friday, though the rain mostly held off for the vice president's arrival. Air Force Two landed at G. B. Pastine–Rome Ciampino Airport on time at 7:44 a.m. after an 8 hour and 31 minute journey. Pool did not see or hear from Vice President Vance during the flight.

The vice president and his family emerged from AF2 at 7:58 a.m. and were greeted on the tarmac by a ceremonial guard from the Italian military, and several Italian government officials and their spouses. I have inquired about their identities and will provide their names when I learn them. Ahead of the arrival, VP, Mrs. Vance and the children had changed out of the more casual outfits they wore to board the flight in Washington, with the vice president now sporting a suit. It was not immediately clear if the suit is Italian. Local press could be spotted watching from a riser in the distance.

We're now waiting in a motorcade preparing to depart the airport.

Pool has been advised that the vice president will visit the U.S. embassy next for a private event with embassy staff, while pool will be taken elsewhere to hold until his visit with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The two are getting a solid dose of each other: the bilateral meeting in Rome follows Meloni's visit with Vance and President Trump yesterday at the White House.

Later today, the vice president is scheduled to attend Good Friday mass at Saint Peter's Basilica.

In the meantime, your pooler will search for a cappuccino.

VP pool report #2 4/18: Embassy arrival

Pool was originally advised that VP would head to the U.S. embassy, but he was first taken to his lodging accommodation in Rome, and will then go by the embassy without the pool.

The motorcade continued traveling without him at 8:49 a.m., bound for the staff and press hotel.

Pool doesn't expect to see the vice president again until his meeting with Meloni in a few hours.

As promised, here is the list of people who greeted the Vances on the tarmac, provided by a spokesperson for the vice president:

Irene Castagnoli, Vice Head of Diplomatic Protocol for the Italian Republic

Marco Angori, Campino Wing Commander

Dante Sanson, Campino Protocol Commander

Shawn Crowley, Charge d'Affaires of the United States to the Italian Republic and San Marino
-Sabine Crowley-Klaube, Spouse

Laura Hochla, Charge d'Affaires to the US Mission to the Holy See
-Antonio Hernandez, Spouse

Rodney Hunter, Charge d'Affaires to the US Mission to the United Nations Agencies in Rome

VP pool report #3 4/18: Ceremony ahead of Meloni meeting

Vice President Vance has appeared at Palazzo Chigi, Prime Minister Meloni's office complex, for a bilateral meeting.

The VP was greeted with a ceremony in the courtyard of the building, complete with dozens of Italian Navy marching band and honor guard members, which an Italian official tells your pooler is referred to as "military honors."

Meloni, today in a pink suit, stood waiting for Vance on the red carpet for several minutes before he arrived. The VP arrived at 1:04 p.m.

"I've been missing you," Meloni told Vance with a laugh as he walked up to greet her. (They met less than 24 hours ago in Washington.) Your pooler could not hear VP's reply, but he was friendly.

The program commenced with the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, and the vice president listened with his hand over his heart. He dropped it as the Italian anthem began to play. American, Italian and European Union flags were draped on both sides of the band.

The pair then walked the duration of the red carpet to head inside.

Pool arrived here ahead of the VP, and eventually was led to our perch in the building's courtyard after being shuffled back and forth between rooms with much gesturing, attempts by Americans to speak Italian, and attempts by Italians to speak English to direct the traveling pool to the location where we were wanted.

Pool so far has not been able to ask the VP any questions. The weather has much improved since this morning; the sun is now peeking out, and the rain stopped ahead of this outdoor ceremony.

VP pool report #4 4/18: "Optimistic" was will end

VP Vance and PM Meloni are privately meeting after a brief press spray. Vance said he would provide updates on the war between Ukraine and Russia, among other topics, including developments from within the last 24 hours.

"We do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this brutal war to a close," Vance said.

More quotes to come.

VP pool report #5 4/18: Quotes from bilateral

Apologies for phone autocorrect's work on my last subject line, which should have said "war."

Meloni spoke in Italian, and then repeated remarks in English. Vance joked that "she could have called me a jerk, and I wouldn't know, but it would be the most beautiful language imaginable, so I wouldn't even get offended."

He said they would discuss the Russia/Ukraine war negotiations, as well as ongoing trade talks between the US and EU. Transcript of the English portion below. They did not respond to a few shouted questions.

Meloni
"I'm proud that you decided to pass the Easter here in Rome, and we really hope you enjoy this time, and are honored to welcome you here in the in Palazzo Chigi, after the wonderful meeting we had yesterday in Washington and which we've been discussing many topics, many others we'll discuss today.

"We think Italy can be a reliable and and serious partner in Europe, in the Mediterranean, in the Mediterranean area, and so we are proud to have this special relation with with us and with this administration."

Vance
"I appreciate our friendship, both between our nations, but also between us personally. And certainly, the president sends his best regards to you, but to the people of Italy, I couldn't help as I drove around these streets —We arrived this morning with my wife and our three young children rolling forward to spending Easter here.

But this is a place that was built by people that love humans and love God and the streets, the buildings, the beautiful landscape and cityscape. I think it really lifts up the human spirit. So we're going to have some good conversations. But I also take some inspiration from being in this beautiful city filled with wonderful people, and so we're grateful to you, and of course, to the people of Rome, people of Italy, for their friendship and also for their warm welcome.

We have a couple of important issues to discuss today. I want to update the prime minister on some of the negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and also some of the things that have happened even in the past 24 hours. I think we have some interesting things to report on, of course, in private, some negotiations. I won't prejudge them, but we do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war, this very brutal war, to a close.

I also, of course, want to talk to the Prime Minister about some of the economic relationships, very important between Italy and the United States, but of course, we're having some big trade negotiations between not just Italy and the United States but the whole European Union. We talked great deal about that yesterday with the President, and we'll follow up with all those conversations today. But most of all, just thrilled to be in the presence of a dear friend in a beautiful place with great people. So thank you for having me."

VP pool report #6 4/18: Leaving VP behind

Pool is advised that the meeting between VP Vance and PM Meloni is still ongoing, but we are being taken elsewhere to hold until we go to the Vatican complex for Good Friday mass.

Your pooler likely will not have eyes on the vice president until we arrive at St. Peter's Basilica. The church service is set to begin at 5 p.m.

VP pool report #7 4/18: St. Peter's Basilica

At 4:54 p.m., the vice president entered Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, where he is attending a Good Friday service. (Your pooler has confirmed with the relevant experts here that the Celebration of the Lord's Passion is technically not a mass.)

They walked from the front of the basilica as a hymn was being sung. VP was carrying his younger son Vivek, and the second lady was carrying Mirabel. Ewan walked beside them. They are seated up front, just outside the ornate dome above.

In the Christian faith, Good Friday marks the day Christ died by crucifixion. The gospel scriptures say the daytime sky became dark as it happened; the service VP Vance is attending is intended to be a particularly solemn one.

Pool has been advised that the two-hour service will be held in Latin. It's unclear how conversant VP is in the language, though your pooler recalls that the vice president is familiar with the term "ordo amoris," Latin for "order of love." (Google it, as the vice has previously advised.)

And for a more recent X post from VP Vance, he wrote this before arriving this evening, on the topic of being in Rome on Good Friday:

"I'm grateful every day for this job, but particularly today where my official duties have brought me to Rome on Good Friday. I had a great meeting with Prime Minister Meloni and her team, and will head to church soon with my family in this beautiful city.

I wish all Christians all over the world, but particularly those back home in the US, a blessed Good Friday.

He died so that we might live."

The Vatican is live streaming the service here.

VP pool report #8 4/18: Two hour service ends

Vice President Vance and his family exited Saint Peter's Basilica at 7:04 p.m., following the conclusion of a just over two-hour Good Friday service.

From where pool was positioned, it was difficult to see the VP throughout much of the service, though your pooler caught glimpses by looking through a poor, digitally zoomed iPhone lens.

He and the second lady were seen standing and kneeling as the various parts of the service encouraged. And the VP was also seen tending to and instructing his children — picking them up and holding them at times throughout the extended standing portion of the Passion story being sung in Latin. He could be seen demonstrating to his son next to him how to kneel with hands folded.

The second children were among the patient few kids attending the service. By the end, Vivek had resorted to the classic pen and paper doodling strategy to occupy himself during church, meanwhile gently being shushed by his mother. Ewan was seen slouched in his chair with arms folded as the two-hour mark arrived.

Pool does not have guidance yet on what the vice president will do next.

VP pool report #9 4/18: Castel Sant'Angelo + lid

A spokesperson for the vice president said he and his family left the basilica after service for Castel Sant'Angelo, where they're getting a private tour. Pool is not along for this.

We were given a lid for the night at 7:21 p.m.

Goodnight from Vatican City! Tomorrow the vice president is scheduled to meet with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.