Thursday, May 21Thursday, May 21Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, is scheduled to visit Rome and the Vatican this week to meet with Pope Leo XIV, following heightened tensions between the pontiff and former U.S. President Donald Trump. The meeting, confirmed by Vatican and Italian government sources, is set for May 7–8, coinciding with the first anniversary of Pope Leo’s papacy—the first U.S.-born leader of the Catholic Church. The visit is widely seen as an effort to ease diplomatic strains after Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo for his anti-war rhetoric, particularly regarding the pontiff’s condemnation of Trump’s threats toward Iran .
The tensions stem from Pope Leo’s declaration that Trump’s threat to "destroy Iran" was "unacceptable," which drew sharp rebuke from the former president. Rubio’s trip is reportedly aimed at repairing relations with both the Vatican and the Italian government, which has also faced criticism from Trump . Italian media and U.S. outlets have framed the visit as a diplomatic effort to "thaw" relations, with Rubio’s itinerary including discussions at the Vatican .
Separately, a report indicates that Pope Leo will meet with a U.S. secretary of state at the Vatican next week, though it does not specify whether this refers to Rubio’s visit or another official . The broader context of Rubio’s trip includes recent U.S. foreign policy decisions, such as the Pentagon’s announcement of a troop drawdown in Germany, which has added to transatlantic tensions .
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