Pope Leo To Meet U.S. Secretary Of State

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican on Thursday, according to the Vatican’s public calendar, in what officials and observers describe as an effort to ease tensions between Washington and the Holy See.

The private meeting is set for 11:30 a.m. local time. A Vatican official confirmed the talks, describing them as part of ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

The visit comes after weeks of strained relations following criticism from Pope Leo XIV of U.S. foreign policy rhetoric concerning Iran.

The pontiff previously described elements of the language used as “unacceptable,” prompting a sharp response from U.S. President Donald Trump, who called the pope “weak” and “terrible” on foreign policy matters.

Trump also suggested that the pope’s election was influenced by political considerations, writing on social media that Leo would not have been selected “if I wasn’t in the White House.”

The dispute has also had diplomatic spillover. The U.S. administration recently ended a decades-long contract with a Catholic Church-affiliated programme in Miami that provided care for migrant children, a decision the Archdiocese of Miami linked to broader tensions with the Vatican. The White House has not publicly confirmed any connection.

Rubio, a practising Catholic, is also expected to meet Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Italian officials during his visit to Rome.

The diplomatic friction has drawn commentary from analysts in Italy. Vatican commentator Marco Politi said the visit reflects concern within political circles over the impact of public disputes between U.S. leaders and the Catholic Church ahead of upcoming elections in the United States.

The Vatican has not issued an official statement characterising the meeting beyond confirming that it is taking place.