Secretary of State Marco Rubio is planning a diplomatic visit to the Vatican and Italy this week, according to reports from two major Italian newspapers, as tensions simmer between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo following recent social media clashes.
Italian publications La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera reported Sunday that while it remains unclear if Rubio will have a direct audience with the pontiff, the Catholic Secretary of State is expected to sit down with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who serves as the Vatican’s top diplomatic representative.
This upcoming visit follows Rubio’s previous encounter with Pope Leo in May 2025, when he and Vice President JD Vance attended the first American pope’s inaugural Mass at St. Peter’s Square and participated in a private audience with the religious leader the following day.
Pope Leo, who initially kept a relatively quiet presence on the world stage during his early papal months, has recently become more vocal in condemning the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran and has strongly opposed the Trump administration’s strict immigration stance.
In April, Trump took to social media multiple times to criticize the pope, at one point describing Leo as “terrible.”
Neither the State Department, Vatican communications office, nor Italian government representatives immediately provided comments when asked about these travel reports.
According to the newspaper accounts, Rubio’s itinerary will also include discussions with Italy’s foreign and defense ministers, with the diplomatic mission focused on reducing friction between the two nations after Trump’s harsh public criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last month, despite her being among his strongest European supporters.
La Repubblica noted that while the visit’s agenda remains fluid, a potential meeting with Meloni has not been ruled out, and Corriere reported that scheduling details are still being finalized.
This diplomatic outreach occurs just days after the Pentagon’s Friday announcement of a 5,000-troop reduction from Germany, America’s largest European military installation, as disagreements over the Iran conflict and trade disputes continue to strain U.S.-European relationships.
Italy hosts one of Europe’s largest American military contingents, with nearly 13,000 active-duty personnel stationed across six bases as of late 2025.
