Pope Leo meets Rubio amid growing tensions with Trump over Iran
The talks focused on easing tensions, with the State Department saying the two sides discussed Middle East peace, Cuba aid and religious freedom.
- On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss humanitarian aid in Cuba and religious freedom concerns globally, marking the first Trump administration engagement with the pontiff in nearly a year.
- Relations between the Trump administration and the Holy See deteriorated after President Donald Trump criticized Leo's opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, falsely claiming the pontiff accepted nuclear weapons.
- During the 2.5-hour meeting, Rubio and Leo exchanged gifts; Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin defended the pontiff, calling Trump's attacks 'strange' in understated diplomatic terms.
- The U.S. State Department and the Vatican reaffirmed their shared commitment to fostering bilateral relations and promoting peace, signaling a diplomatic reset after weeks of escalating public tensions.
- Political analysts suggest the visit aims to blunt domestic fallout ahead of midterm elections, though observers remain skeptical the meeting will fundamentally shift the Trump administration's approach toward the Holy See.
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390 Articles
Rubio attempts to mend relations with Pope Leo in Vatican meeting after Trump’s criticisms
Secretary of State Rubio on Thursday tried to smooth over another conflict sparked by the Iran war, this one with the pope. A meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo came after Trump repeatedly accused the pontiff of wanting Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Stephanie Sy reports on the meeting, and Amna Nawaz speaks with Miguel Diaz, former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, for more analysis.
Rubio and Pope Leo discuss areas of disagreement after weeks of tensions with Trump
Marco Rubio dismissed the notion he was attempting to reset diplomatic relations with the Vatican after Donald Trump’s extraordinary criticisms of the first U.S. pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.
The head of U.S. diplomacy, Marco Rubio, tried this Thursday to move on to the crisis and smooth out with the Vatican during a “friendly” conversation with Pope Leo XIV about the war in the Middle East and “humanitarian efforts” on the American continent, specifically in Cuba.
Following heated tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV, US Secretary of State Rubio sought talks in Rome. This is how long the meeting lasted.
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