US Secretary of State Rubio meets Pope Leo XIV amid tensions between Trump administration and Vatican

May 7, 2026

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV for 45 minutes at the Apostolic Palace on Thursday in an effort to ease tensions after President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked the first North American pope, accusing him of supporting nuclear weapons and endangering Catholics with his opposition to the Iran war. The Pope, originally from Chicago, responded that the church has opposed all nuclear weapons for years, while Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin called Trump's attacks "rather strange." The diplomatic crisis has forced Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to distance herself from Trump despite previously praising him, as polling shows widespread Italian condemnation of Trump's position across the political spectrum. With roughly 13,000 US military personnel stationed across seven Italian naval bases, Trump has suggested he would consider pulling troops out of Italy, marking an unprecedented strain in US-Vatican-Italian relations.

Rubio's diplomatic visit to the Vatican and meetings with Pope Leo XIV

▪US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace on Thursday.
▪The Vatican raised the need to work tirelessly in favour of peace during talks with Marco Rubio.
▪Marco Rubio met with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin after meeting Pope Leo XIV.
▪Marco Rubio's papal audience with Pope Leo XIV lasted 45 minutes.
▪Pope Leo XIV is the first North American pope and is originally from Chicago.
▪Marco Rubio gave Pope Leo XIV a small crystal American football during their meeting.

Escalating tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV over Iran war

▪Pietro Parolin stated that Trump attacking Pope Leo XIV in this way seems rather strange, to say the least.
▪In April, Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV over Pope Leo XIV's criticism of the war in Iran.
▪Donald Trump launched a verbal attack on Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday, accusing Pope Leo XIV of supporting nuclear weapons.
▪Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin criticized Donald Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo XIV as rather strange on the eve of Marco Rubio's visit.
▪Donald Trump called Pope Leo XIV weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy.
▪Pietro Parolin stated that he counts only on Jesus Christ when asked whether he placed greater trust in Marco Rubio or Donald Trump.

Impact on US-Italy relations and Meloni's political positioning

▪Marco Rubio will meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday.
▪Roughly 13,000 US military personnel are stationed across seven naval bases in Italy.
▪Donald Trump lashed out at Giorgia Meloni in April, accusing Meloni of lacking courage for refusing to join the US campaign against Iran.