After weeks of tension, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Pope Leo XIV in an attempt to smooth over differences between Washington and the Vatican. This meeting follows several exchanges that highlighted divergent stances between President Trump's administration and the Pontiff.
Among the issues to which the Pope has expressed his opposition are the war in the Middle East and the President's immigration policy.
The meeting takes place at a time when tensions are expected to subside to some extent; following a meeting that lasted just over two hours, the Vatican released images showing Secretary Rubio and the Pope shaking hands and smiling.
The leader of the Catholic Church has expressed his displeasure regarding the conflict in Iran and advocates for a peaceful resolution to the dispute, while President Trump has declared that—whether the Pope likes it or not—Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. The Pontiff had previously addressed this matter last April.
"I would like to encourage the continuation of peace talks, urge the parties involved to persevere in these efforts, and ensure that the threat of war is addressed in accordance with international law," the Pontiff stated.