Pope and Rubio commit to stronger ties, Vatican says
After President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized the pope, Pope Leo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a joint commitment in a meeting to improve relations between the Vatican and the US.
The Vatican said in a statement after the first meeting between the pope and a Trump administration cabinet official in nearly a year that Leo and Rubio “renewed their common determination to develop good bilateral relations.”
Leo, the first US pope, drew Trump’s ire after harshly criticizing the US-Israeli war on Iran and the US administration’s strict anti-immigration policies.
Trump responded by accusing the Pope of supporting Iran’s bid to acquire nuclear weapons, calling him “weak on crime.”
Pope Leo received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican this morning. pic.twitter.com/bYLJ1brh93— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 7, 2026
Ahead of his trip, Rubio, a Catholic who was born to Cuban immigrants, emphasized common ground with the Vatican, including on the issue of religious freedom around the world.
He stated that the United States provided humanitarian aid in Cuba with the support of the Catholic Church.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Rubio’s meeting with Leo was a sign of a “strong” relationship between the Vatican and the United States.
Rubio spent two and a half hours at the Vatican before departing in a tightly guarded motorcade.
He also met with senior Vatican officials, including top diplomat Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
The U.S. Embassy in the Vatican said at X that Leo and Rubio discussed “matters of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere.”
It’s good to see Cardinal Parolin at the Vatican today. The United States and the Vatican’s partnership in advancing religious freedom is strong. pic.twitter.com/I6HzE9EPog— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 7, 2026
In the statement made by the Vatican, it was stated that the two “exchanged views” on the state of the world and talked about “the necessity of working tirelessly for peace”.
The meeting appears to have lasted longer than planned.
The Pope arrived 40 minutes late for the next meeting with Vatican staff and thanked them for their patience.
Vatican video at the beginning of the closed-door encounter showed Leo shaking hands with his guest and formally addressing him as “Mr. Secretary.” Rubio, a Catholic, responded: “It’s nice to see you.”
Rubio was also seen giving the Pope a small crystal football.
He joked that he knew Leo, originally from Chicago and a known White Sox fan, was more of a “baseball guy.”
Leo gave Rubio a small pen made of olive wood, which he called the “peace plant.”
Rubio said at a White House briefing on Tuesday that he expected to discuss Cuba and concerns about religious freedom around the world with Leo.
U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Brian Burch also said Tuesday that the meeting between the Pope and Rubio would likely be “frank.”
Leo, who marks his first year leading the 1.4 billion-member Church on Friday, has become more outspoken on the world stage in recent weeks.
During a four-country tour of Africa last month, he strongly condemned the course of global leadership and later said the world was being “ravaged by a bunch of tyrants” in comments he said were not aimed at Trump.
Rubio and US Vice President J.D. Vance, also a Catholic, met Leo after attending the Pope’s inauguration a year ago.
Trump did not meet with the priest.
Rubio will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who defended the pope against Trump on Friday, during his two-day visit to Rome.
Meloni’s defense minister said the war in Iran puts US leadership at risk.
with DPA
