Rubio visits Vatican amid rising tensions between Pope Leo XIV and Trump, seeks to emphasize shared U.S.–Holy See priorities
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with senior Vatican officials on Thursday in an effort to underscore shared priorities between the Holy See and the Trump administration, as public tensions continue to grow between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.
Rubio’s visit included a roughly two-and-a-half-hour meeting focused on what officials described as the long-standing relationship between the United States and the Vatican, along with joint commitments to peace and human dignity. The discussions were outlined in a statement from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.
He also held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, reviewing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
The visit comes during a period of escalating public disagreement between Trump and Pope Leo XIV, which has played out across political statements and public remarks in recent weeks.
Trump has criticized the pope in social media posts and interviews, including comments describing Leo as weak on crime and suggesting his positions on nuclear disarmament and Iran were dangerous. The president has also accused the pontiff of being overly sympathetic to Iran in the context of nuclear tensions, arguing such positions could endanger religious communities.
Pope Leo has pushed back, saying the church’s mission is to preach peace and the Gospel, while defending longstanding Vatican opposition to nuclear weapons. He has also emphasized that criticism should be accurate and grounded in the church’s established teachings.
Tensions between the two figures predate the current exchange. The pope previously criticized what he called the inhumane treatment of migrants and has repeatedly called for restraint in global conflicts, including during escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
Some Vatican observers view Rubio’s visit as an attempt to reduce friction between Washington and the Holy See, even as officials publicly deny that reconciliation was the purpose of the trip. Rubio has said the meeting was scheduled in advance, while acknowledging recent developments between the two sides.
At the same time, Rubio has defended Trump’s concerns regarding Iran and nuclear weapons, while also emphasizing continued diplomatic engagement with the Vatican on global issues such as religious freedom and humanitarian crises.
He has also pointed to the Vatican’s international presence and influence as a reason for ongoing cooperation, noting that the Holy See maintains diplomatic relationships in more than 100 countries.
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