May 7, 2026
Rubio makes fence-mending visit to the Vatican after Trump's broadsides against Pope Leo XIV
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a fence-mending visit to the Vatican on Thursday to underscore strong bilateral ties, after U.S. President Trump's broadsides against Pope Leo XIV for his opposition to the Iran war angered the Holy See and sparked ongoing sparring between them.
TL;DR
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican.
- The visit aimed to reinforce strong bilateral ties.
- Tensions arose due to U.S. President Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV.
- The Pope's opposition to the Iran war was the cause of the dispute.
- The incident angered the Holy See and led to ongoing sparring.