Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and hold talks with Italian officials in Rome from Wednesday through Friday, as the Trump administration seeks to repair diplomatic damage from the president's recent attacks on the pontiff and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The State Department said Rubio's discussions with Holy See leadership will focus on the Middle East and shared interests in the Western Hemisphere. With Italian counterparts, the secretary will address "shared security interests and strategic alignment."
Rubio, a practicing Catholic, arrives after a particularly ugly public row between Trump and the American-born pope. In early April, Leo XIV called Trump's social media threat to "destroy Iran's civilization" unacceptable and urged citizens to contact their political leaders to demand peace. The pope's criticism, along with a 60 Minutes segment highlighting his earlier opposition to Trump's mass deportation policy, infuriated the president.
Trump retaliated on Truth Social, branding the pope "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." He also posted an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus healing a sick man, which he later deleted amid accusations of blasphemy. The back-and-forth dragged on for over a week.
Meloni, a European ally of Trump, called his remarks about the pope "unacceptable." Trump fired back that he was "shocked" by her defense of Leo, adding, "I thought she was brave, but I was wrong." The Italian leader had already distanced herself from Trump over U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran.
Rubio's visit comes as tensions with Iran continue to escalate. Iran has threatened to block U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz following Trump's shipping vow, and some lawmakers have criticized the president's handling of war powers. Senator Jack Reed recently slammed Trump over the Iran war powers deadline, saying there are "no timeouts."
The diplomatic effort also underscores the broader strain on transatlantic relations. Trump's confrontational style has tested alliances, even with conservative leaders like Meloni who share his policy instincts on migration and security. Rubio's meetings aim to stabilize ties ahead of potential further flashpoints.
Observers note that Rubio, a former senator with deep foreign policy experience, may be able to smooth over personal grievances that Trump's direct interventions have inflamed. But the underlying policy differences—particularly on Iran and immigration—remain unresolved.
