J.D. Vance Wore a Yellow Tie to Meet With the Pope, but What Does That Mean?

The news that Pope Francis has died has led to plenty of speculation about who might replace him, even as many marvel at the fact that Vice President J.D. Vance was one of the last people to see him alive. Vance offered a warm message following the news of his death, but many also noted that during his meeting with the pope, he was wearing a yellow tie.

Following the discovery that Vance was wearing a yellow tie for his meeting with the pope, many want to better understand what the tie represents. Here's what we know.

There are several things that a yellow tie could mean in political contexts. In the United States, the color is most commonly associated with libertarianism and classical liberalism, which is the idea that the public should be as unregulated as possible. Yellow is commonly associated with the gold standard, which is an old fashioned economic idea that has gained some purchase inside the Trump administration.

There are also softer reasons why Vance might have worn a yellow tie. These ties often signify warmth or optimism, and Vance might have considered it an appropriate color for a meeting with a major religious figure. The gold hue of the tie might have also seemed appropriate for the Vatican, especially against a white backdrop, since that is what much of the Vatican looks like.

In a video circulating on TikTok, some users are suggesting that Vance's decision to wear a yellow necktie during his meeting with the pope was significant, although the video does not explain what the tie actually means. Vance himself has not offered any explanation for why he chose to wear the color, and while it's possible that it's a political symbol, it's also possible that it was just the tie he wanted to wear that day.

That's not to say that politicians are not careful about their wardrobe choices. Especially for major events, they are often careful about what they have on their person, and ties are certainly a part of that. In this case, though, it's hard to ascribe an especially sinister or pointed motive to Vance's decision, especially since he had no idea his visit with the pope would be so central to the story of his death.

Following the news of Pope Francis's death, Vance wrote a tribute to him on X (formerly Twitter), briefly alluding to their conversation in Vatican City.

"I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him," he wrote.

"I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful," he added. "May God rest his soul."