US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo at the Vatican during a two-day visit to Rome aimed at easing tensions between Washington and the Catholic Church after President Donald Trump’s criticism of the pontiff over the war in Iran.
The visit comes weeks after Trump lashed out at Pope Leo following the pontiff’s condemnation of the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran. On April 12, Trump said: “I’m not a fan of the pope.” A day later, Pope Leo responded that he would not be intimidated by the Trump administration.
Outside St Peter’s Square, protesters accused the Trump and Netanyahu administrations of crimes linked to Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, while some visitors described Trump’s comments about the pope as disrespectful.
Rubio’s meeting with the pontiff was officially framed as an effort to strengthen ties between Washington and the Vatican, though observers say it also served as damage control following the diplomatic fallout.
After the talks, Rubio said on X that the United States and the Vatican shared a commitment to promoting peace and human dignity. Rubio is also expected to hold talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit.
Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler reports from Vatican City.
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