Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Italy on Thursday for a high-profile meeting with Pope Leo, marking the first face-to-face meeting between a Trump administration cabinet official and the pope amid weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and the Vatican.
Rubio acknowledged strained relations between President Donald Trump and the first American pontiff but said his visit had been arranged before the recent disputes intensified. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Rubio said he and the pope had “a lot to talk about,” including humanitarian aid for Cuba and concerns over religious freedoms around the world. He also referenced the recent friction, adding, “obviously we had some stuff that happened.”
Relations between Trump and Pope Leo have deteriorated in recent weeks following disagreements over the conflict involving Iran. The dispute began after the pope publicly condemned Trump’s threat to “wipe out” an entire civilization in Iran and urged Americans to contact members of Congress to oppose such rhetoric.
Trump has since repeatedly criticized the pope during interviews and public appearances. The president recently described Pope Leo as “a very liberal person” and accused him of “catering to the radical left.” In an interview with NBC News last month, Trump said he was “not a big fan” of the pontiff and added, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime, I guess.”
The president renewed those criticisms earlier this week during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.
“The Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good,” Trump said.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Rubio’s visit signals continued diplomatic engagement between the United States and the Vatican on several international issues. According to the State Department, Rubio’s meetings with Vatican officials are expected to focus heavily on the ongoing situation in the Middle East, as well as shared interests across the Western Hemisphere.
