(LifeSiteNews) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin to “discuss the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere.”
“The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” according to the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.
The conciliatory language of the State Department’s Vatican outpost cloaks in diplomatic terms the rift that has grown between the president and the pontiff following Trump’s condemnation of the Pope’s opposition to the war in Iran.
READ: Trump criticizes Pope Leo for denouncing Iran war but not talking about Jimmy Lai
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to discuss the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/vjl1J1RWYu
— U.S. in Holy See (@USinHolySee) May 7, 2026
“During the cordial discussions held in the Vatican with the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio this morning, first with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and subsequently with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin and His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, [t]he shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America was reaffirmed,” the Holy See Press Office said in a press release.
“There was then an exchange of views on the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as the need to work tirelessly to promote peace.”
According to The Washington Post, when asked before Thursday’s meetings if the breach between the United States and the Vatican is at its widest point, a senior Vatican official said: “Vatican diplomacy wouldn’t say that, but in formal terms, I think it’s fairly obvious.”