Vance, Rubio meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, welcomed U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a private audience Monday morning at the Vatican. The meeting marked the first official encounter between the newly elected Pope and top U.S. officials under the Trump administration, as both sides emphasized a shared commitment to diplomacy, religious freedom, and peace.

Vance and Rubio, both devout Catholics, were joined by their wives, Usha and Jeanette, in what the Holy See described as “cordial” discussions at the Secretariat of State. According to a Vatican communiqué, the talks included praise for the “good bilateral relations” between the U.S. and the Vatican and focused on “matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom.”

The Vatican also confirmed that the leaders “exchanged views on some current international issues,” expressing hope that humanitarian law and international norms would be upheld in conflict zones and that peaceful, negotiated solutions could be reached.

Vance, a convert to Catholicism, extended a formal invitation to Pope Leo XIV to visit the White House and personally delivered a letter from Trump to the new Pope. Vatican video footage showed Pope Leo placing the letter in his desk and responding to the invitation with a measured “at some point.”

In a gesture reflecting both theological and personal significance, Vance presented the Pope—an Augustinian friar before becoming a bishop—with copies of St. Augustine’s The City of God and On Christian Doctrine, along with a customized Chicago Bears jersey bearing the Pope’s new name, “LEO.”

The meeting follows Sunday’s inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square, which drew over 200,000 faithful. Vance and Rubio led the official U.S. delegation and were seen exchanging pleasantries with the Pope afterward.

“It was an honor to join so many of the faithful at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV this morning!” Vance posted on social media Sunday.

“I was honored to join @VP and @SLOTUS as part of the official U.S. delegation for the inaugural Mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square today,” Rubio posted on X. “As the first American pontiff begins his sacred ministry, let us unite in prayer for @Pontifex.”

Pope Leo XIV was elected earlier this month following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an Augustinian and a native of Chicago, was chosen by the College of Cardinals after a brief conclave. His election was seen as both historic and unifying—a signal of continuity with his predecessor’s pastoral vision and a reflection of the global Church’s growing American presence.

In his inaugural homily, Leo XIV struck a tone of humility and hope.

“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling,” he said. “I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for He wants us all to be united in one family.”

While no date has been confirmed for a potential U.S. visit, speculation is already growing that Pope Leo XIV could return to his homeland as Bishop of Rome—a historic first that would resonate deeply with American Catholics and global observers alike.