The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday to try to calm tensions after Donald Trump’s repeated criticisms of the first North American pontiff.
With relations between the Holy See and Washington at an unprecedented low, Rubio is expected to see Leo in the morning at the Apostolic Palace, followed by talks with the Italian government in a series of meetings.
The encounter follows Trump’s Tuesday accusation that the pope backs nuclear weapons and “endangers a lot of Catholics” with his opposition to the Iran war, the latest salvo from the US president against the pontiff.
On Wednesday Leo replied, “If anyone wishes to criticise me for proclaiming the gospel, let them do so truthfully: the church has denounced all nuclear weapons for years, there is no doubt. I only hope to be heard because of the value of God’s word.”
Rubio downplayed the rift, telling reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump’s recent remarks about the pope stem from his objection to Iran possibly acquiring a nuclear weapon that could be used against millions of Catholics worldwide.
Trump “doesn’t understand why anyone – setting aside the pope – would think it sensible for Iran to ever possess a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said.
Vatican‑Washington ties have never been so strained. In April the US president lashed out at Leo over the pope’s criticism of the Iran war, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” and claiming he had only been elected pontiff because Trump occupied the White House. Trump later shared – then deleted – an AI‑generated image depicting himself as a Christ‑like figure.
Rubio aims to smooth over Trump’s insults and mend the increasingly damaged US‑Vatican relationship. Analysts say the secretary of state will likely defend Washington’s rationale for launching the Iran war while avoiding a direct confrontation with the church’s stance.
Asked whether he trusts Rubio or Trump more, Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters on Tuesday, “I rely on no one; I rely only on our Lord Jesus Christ.” He added that Trump’s attacks on Leo “in this manner, or reproaching him for his actions, seem rather strange, to say the least.”
On Friday Rubio will also meet Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, as ties between Rome and Washington have likewise deteriorated.
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