Marco Rubio arrives in Vatican City for sit-down with Pope Leo
Pope Leo XIV poses with U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 07, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a visit Thursday to the Vatican, meeting with Pope Leo XIV, after a strained relationship between the Vatican and the Trump administration has developed over the Iran war.
Rubio’s visit to the Vatican was set to cover peace in the Middle East and mend the "strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See."
What we know:
The secretary had a number of items on the agenda for the two to discuss, primarily spurred on by the recent back-and-forth criticisms between the leaders of the U.S. and the Vatican City.
Trump vs the Pope
The two first came at odds in early April after Pope Leo, speaking with reporters, appealed for peace and reconciliation, calling President Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization "truly unacceptable."
The first U.S.-born pontiff later added, "He doesn’t fear the Trump administration" when the president responded in kind, calling Pope Leo "soft on crime and other things."
Trump refused to apologize when he was called on, even after posting a much-criticized meme of Trump depicting himself as Jesus. The now-deleted image was explained away as the president believing it was showing him as a doctor.
RELATED: Pope Leo on Trump: 'Not in my interest' to debate him
Dig deeper:
Rubio’s over-two-hour visit included sit-downs with Pope Leo as well as the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Just prior to the visit, Parolin strongly defended the Pope, while criticizing recent attacks from Trump.
After the meeting, the two discussed other humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere.
Pope Leo XIV meets with U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 07, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
What they're saying:
"The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity," said U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
The other side:
Rubio is a practicing Catholic, visited the Apostolic Palace with his wife. The secretary has been known to explain some of the more harsh comments from the Administration, specifically when criticism was aimed at the Vatican and allies from NATO for their lack of support during the Iran war.
Pope Leo XIV poses with U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio during an audience at the Apostolic Palace on May 07, 2026 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Im
As the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime Cuba hawk, the island nation also came up as a topic of interest on the agenda. Trump has previously made threats of military action there following the successful ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.