Rubio Meets Pope Leo XIV After Weeks of Public Tension with Trump

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican on Thursday to meet with Pope Leo XIV and other senior officials. The meeting occurred following several weeks of public criticism exchanged between President Donald Trump and the Pope on issues including nuclear weapons, migration, and U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Meeting Details

Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV for a reported duration of between 45 minutes and two and a half hours, according to different sources. The Secretary also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

U.S. officials described the meeting as an opportunity to discuss shared interests.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See said the conversation focused on "the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity." The Vatican issued a statement noting an "exchange of views" on regional and international issues and reaffirmed a "shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations."

During the visit, Rubio gave the Pope a miniature crystal football paperweight bearing the State Department seal. The Pope gave Rubio an olive wood pen, saying it was "the plant of peace," and a book of Vatican artworks.

Context of the Visit

The visit followed a period of public disagreement between President Trump and Pope Leo. In April, President Trump accused the Pope of being "weak on crime" and later suggested the Pope was sympathetic to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. The Pope responded by stating that the Church opposes all nuclear weapons. The Pope had also previously criticized the treatment of migrants as "inhumane" and described President Trump's threat to "eradicate Iranian civilization" as "unacceptable."

Cardinal Parolin defended the Pope following President Trump's comments, stating that attacking the Pope "seems a bit strange to me, to say the least."

Speaking before the meeting, Rubio denied that the visit was intended solely to smooth relations, stating it had been planned beforehand, though he acknowledged recent "stuff that happened." Rubio defended President Trump’s position on Iran, arguing Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He also recognized the Pope as "the head of a nation-state" and said there was "a lot to talk about" with the Vatican, including shared concerns about religious freedom.

Topics Discussed

The meetings included discussions on:

• Peace and humanitarian efforts in the Middle East
• Bilateral relations between the United States and the Holy See
• Humanitarian aid and potential U.S. military action concerning Cuba
• Religious freedom worldwide

Rubio gave the Pope a miniature crystal football paperweight. The Pope gave Rubio an olive wood pen, calling it "the plant of peace."