A diplomatic confrontation between the Vatican and the White House intensified this week as Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Rome for a high-stakes meeting with Pope Leo XIV, coming just days after President Donald Trump repeated his explosive allegation that the pontiff backs Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
The secretary of state arrived in Rome on Tuesday, May 6, and sat down with the pope on Thursday morning, May 7. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio “will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere.”
The meeting lasted more than two hours inside the Apostolic Palace, with the two men speaking privately for over 45 minutes. The Vatican described the discussions as “cordial,” saying there was “an exchange of views on the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries marked by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as on the need to work tirelessly for peace.” Topics covered included Iran, Lebanon, conflicts in Africa, and the situation in Cuba.
Trump Doubles Down on Hewitt Show
Trump escalated his attacks on Sunday, May 4, during an appearance on Salem News Channel’s “The Hugh Hewitt Show.” Asked why Leo has not spoken out about jailed Hong Kong democracy activist Jimmy Lai, Trump pivoted to Iran.
Before the Thursday meeting, Trump told reporters he instructed Rubio to tell the pope “very nicely, very respectfully, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” adding that Rubio should also relay that “Iran killed 42,000 innocent protesters who didn’t have guns, who didn’t have weapons.” Filling in for press secretary Karoline Leavitt at Tuesday’s briefing, Rubio defended Trump’s characterization of the pope when pressed by a CNN reporter, arguing the president’s point was that Iran would use a nuclear weapon “against places that have a lot of Catholics and Christians and others.”
Trump has been hammering this theme for weeks. On April 12, the same day Leo delivered his peace appeal at St. Peter’s Basilica, the president posted on Truth Social: “I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Earlier that month, Trump had labeled the pontiff “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy” and posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, drawing sharp condemnation from Catholic bishops and evangelical leaders alike.
Pope Responds From Castel Gandolfo
The first American-born pope fired back at Trump’s renewed May 4 allegation during a rare press encounter on May 5, speaking to reporters outside the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo before returning to Rome. The Chicago-born pontiff offered a measured but pointed rebuttal without uttering Trump’s name.
“I have already spoken from the first moment, ‘Peace be with you.’ The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If anyone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully,” the pope said. “The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that.”
The pontiff added that he simply hoped to be listened to “because of the value of God’s word.” He framed the broader controversy as a distraction from his pastoral duties, telling reporters he has “no interest at all” in being drawn into a personal feud with the American president.
Leo has demonstrated remarkable consistency on this issue. In a March 2026 video message, he warned, “May the nuclear threat never again dictate the future of humanity.” In June 2025, he called for a world “free from the nuclear threat” while pleading for peace between Iran and Israel. On April 12, addressing Catholics at St. Peter’s Basilica, he urged world leaders to choose dialogue over rearmament.
A Pope Weighing His Words
Asked by an EWTN reporter whether his earlier statement that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” applied even to those acting in self-defense, Leo offered a nuanced answer.
“Self-defense has traditionally always been allowed by the Church,” he said, before adding that the nuclear age has fundamentally complicated the ancient concept of just war. He argued that dialogue and humanitarian spending are vastly preferable to feeding “the arms industry, which gains billions and billions of dollars each year.”
The pontiff has been particularly forceful in criticizing the administration’s Iran war, calling the escalation of violence “unacceptable” and warning leaders against the “delusion of omnipotence.” Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, waded into the fight by suggesting the pope focus on morality rather than foreign policy—a comment Leo rebuked directly.
Rubio Heads to Rome Amid Tensions
Rubio has flatly denied that the trip is a damage-control mission. He accused Tehran of “holding the whole world hostage” with its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, questioning why anyone would think Iran should possess nuclear arms. U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch has been working to keep diplomatic channels open as tensions escalate.
The exchange marks the latest flashpoint in a deteriorating relationship between the White House and the Holy See, one that has escalated into open hostility over the past several weeks as the administration’s military posture toward Iran has hardened.
The meeting came as Trump’s standing among Catholics showed signs of erosion. A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll released May 6 found that Trump’s approval among U.S. Catholics had fallen to 38 percent, a 10-point drop since February 2025, with support among White Catholics dropping from 63 percent to 49 percent. The same poll found that 90 percent of Catholics had negative views of Trump’s AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ.
