U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome this week for meetings aimed at repairing strained relations between the United States and both Italy and the Vatican, according to multiple reports. The visit comes amid public spats between President Donald Trump, Pope Leo XIV, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Key Takeaways
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome this week to meet with Pope Leo XIV and Italian officials amid strained relations between the U.S., Italy, and the Vatican. The visit aims to repair diplomatic ties following public disputes over the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
- Rubio's meeting with Pope Leo is scheduled for Thursday at 11:30 AM (10:30 GMT) in the Apostolic Palace.
- The trip follows President Trump's criticism of Pope Leo and threats to withdraw U.S. troops from Italy.
- Rubio will also meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
- The visit coincides with the first anniversary of Pope Leo's papacy.
The trip was announced by the State Department on Monday. According to a source familiar with the plans, Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss Middle East tensions and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere. His meetings with Italian counterparts will focus on shared security interests and strategic alignment.
Rubio's meeting with Pope Leo is expected to take place on Thursday at 11:30 AM (10:30 GMT) in the Vatican’s apostolic palace, confirmed by the Holy See’s press office. This marks the first known in-person encounter between the pope and a U.S. cabinet official in nearly a year.
The visit follows recent criticism of the pope by President Trump, who has called Leo 'terrible' on social media for his stance against the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The trip also comes as tensions rise over potential troop withdrawals. Last week, Trump threatened to pull out U.S. troops from Italy and Spain due to their criticism of the U.S.-led war in Iran. Italy is one of the largest hosts of American forces in Europe, with nearly 13,000 active-duty troops stationed across six bases.
Rubio will also meet the Vatican’s secretary of state, Pietro Parolin, and the Italian foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Antonio Tajani. He had requested a meeting with Meloni but has not yet received confirmation. Speaking in Yerevan at a gathering of the European Political Community, Meloni indicated she would probably meet Rubio.
The visit coincides with the first anniversary of Leo’s papacy. In response to Trump’s outburst in April, Leo said he did not fear the U.S. administration and continued to speak out against the war on Iran. Leo will mark his first anniversary as pope with a trip on Friday to the southern Italian town of Pompeii, where he will celebrate mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii.
Rubio expects a 'frank' meeting with Pope Leo during his visit to the Vatican this week. The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, said that Rubio is coming in a spirit of dialogue and authentic engagement. According to Reuters, Trump has repeatedly disparaged the pope for criticizing the U.S. war in Iran.
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