U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spent approximately two and a half hours at the Vatican on Thursday during a high-level visit that included meetings with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
According to reports, Rubio spoke privately with Pope Leo for around forty-five minutes before holding further discussions with Cardinal Parolin, often described as the Vatican’s prime minister.
In an official statement, the U.S. State Department said the meetings “underscored the strong relationship” between the United States and the Vatican, as well as “their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”
Sources within the U.S. administration also told Agence France-Presse that Rubio’s meeting with the pope took place in a “friendly and constructive atmosphere,” despite recent tensions between the Vatican and the White House.
The visit comes only two days after Donald Trump launched a new public attack against the pontiff. In televised remarks, Trump accused Pope Leo of “endangering a lot of Catholics,” referring to the Vatican’s position regarding the war in Iran and the pope’s repeated calls for peace and restraint.
The Vatican has consistently advocated diplomatic solutions and humanitarian protection amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, positions that have drawn criticism from parts of the U.S. administration.
Rubio’s visit is widely viewed as an effort to maintain open communication channels between Washington and the Holy See at a time of growing geopolitical instability and increasingly visible disagreements over international conflicts and humanitarian issues.
On Friday, the U.S. Secretary of State is scheduled to continue his diplomatic meetings in Italy with Giorgia Meloni.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
