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Rubio meets Pope Leo
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday as relations between the White House and the Holy See were at a low point over President Donald Trump’s repeated, direct criticism of the U.S.-born pontiff.
“The two men “renewed the shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations””
The Vatican said Rubio and Leo “renewed the shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations” and “exchanged views on the world situation,” underscoring “the need to work tirelessly in favour of peace.”
Reuters and other coverage tied the meeting to Trump’s Iran-war dispute with the pope, including Trump’s claim that Leo was “endangering a lot of Catholics” by opposing the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
In the closed-door audience, Rubio and Leo exchanged gifts, with Rubio presenting a small crystal football and Leo giving Rubio a pen crafted from olive wood described as “the plant of peace.”
Parolin and Pigott respond
Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin defended Leo against Trump’s attacks before the meeting, saying, “Attacking him like that or criticizing what he does seems a bit strange to me, to say the least.”
After the talks, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the meeting underscored “the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” while also saying Rubio and Leo discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere.
Al Jazeera reported that the pope arrived 40 minutes late for a subsequent meeting with Vatican staffers and thanked them for being patient, while also describing the Vatican video showing Leo addressing Rubio as “Mr. Secretary” and Rubio responding, “Great to see you.”
The same Al Jazeera account framed the rift around Trump’s repeated public attacks, including Trump’s claim that Leo believed it was acceptable for Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and that he was “endangering a lot of Catholics” by opposing the war.
What’s at stake next
Rubio’s Vatican visit was explicitly linked to the Iran war and humanitarian issues, with the U.S. State Department saying Rubio and Cardinal Pietro Parolin discussed “ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East.”
“"ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East."”
The Vatican also said the talks gave “particular attention to countries marked by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as on the need to work tirelessly in favor of peace.”
Al Jazeera noted that on Friday, Leo marked his first year leading the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church and asked God to inspire leaders to calm tensions during an address in the city of Pompei.
Looking ahead, Rubio was set to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Al Jazeera reported that Meloni has strongly defended the pope from Trump and that her defence minister said the war in Iran puts US leadership at risk.
