Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing for a candid discussion with Pope Leo XIV during his upcoming trip to Rome later this week. This meeting follows recent tensions between the pontiff and President Trump over immigration issues and the conflict with Iran, as reported by the American ambassador to the Vatican on Tuesday.
Rubio, a devout Catholic, plans to be in Italy and the Vatican City from Wednesday to Friday. His agenda includes talks on Middle Eastern and Western Hemisphere matters, along with efforts to ease the current diplomatic strains.
“Countries inevitably face disagreements, and one effective way to address these is through fraternity and genuine dialogue,” Ambassador Brian Burch told reporters, according to Reuters.
“The secretary approaches this visit with that mindset,” Burch continued. “He intends to have an open discussion about U.S. policy and foster meaningful communication.”
Burch dismissed the idea of a significant rift between Washington and the Vatican, emphasizing that such claims are unfounded.
Pope Leo, the first pontiff born in America, has often found himself at odds with Trump, who also frequently disagreed with Pope Francis, his predecessor.
“The Pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good,” Trump complained to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday.
“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people,” Trump went on. “But I guess if it’s up to the Pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Last month, the president slammed Leo as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” while heaping praise on the pope’s brother, Louis Prevost, a self-styled “MAGA type.”
Pope Leo has insisted that “I have no fear of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly.”
Recently, Leo slighted the US when he told a reporter that he would “probably” prefer to see Peru win the soccer World Cup to the country of his birth.
The 70-year-old has performed extensive missionary work in Peru and holds dual citizenship there.
Rubio is also scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, long believed to be the European leader closest with Trump.
However, Meloni has stood by the pope against the president, calling Trump’s swipes against him “unacceptable.”
