WASHINGTON — This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will journey to Rome and Vatican City in an effort to smooth over escalating friction between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV regarding American foreign policy decisions, especially concerning the conflict with Iran.
On Monday, the State Department announced that Rubio, who practices the Catholic faith and has made at least three previous trips to Rome and the Vatican since assuming his role as the Republican administration’s chief diplomat, will spend Thursday and Friday in Italy.
“Secretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere,” the department said. “Meetings with Italian counterparts will be focused on shared security interests and strategic alignment.”
This diplomatic mission occurs amid Trump’s public criticism of Leo, who holds the distinction of being the first American pope, regarding his positions on Middle Eastern affairs and other global matters. The president has also faced backlash for sharing a social media image that portrayed him in a Christ-like manner. Trump has declined to offer an apology to Leo and has attempted to dismiss the controversial post, which has since been removed, by claiming he believed the image depicted him as a medical professional.
Throughout his tenure, Rubio has frequently served as a diplomatic intermediary, working to soften or clarify Trump’s aggressive statements concerning Europe, NATO, and Middle Eastern policy. However, this particular conflict with the pope carries significant domestic political consequences as congressional midterm elections draw near.
Leo, who became the first pontiff born in the United States, has clarified that his general calls for peace and his criticism of the Iran conflict and other global disputes were not intended as personal attacks on Trump or any specific individual.
