VATICAN CITY (TNND) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday in what appeared to be an attempt to ease tensions between the pontiff and President Donald Trump over the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
During a brief appearance in front of the cameras, gifts were exchanged in a show of good faith, with the pope handing Rubio an olive-wood pen. “Being, of course, the plant of peace,” he explained.
Rubio gave the pope a miniature crystal football with the State Department seal, adding, “What to get someone who has everything?”
Asked by reporters on Tuesday if he was going to “smooth things over with the Pope,” Rubio explained the trip had been planned before and “obviously we had some stuff that happened.”
Ahead of the visit, Trump continued his public attacks on the pope, saying the American-born leader was effectively aiding Iran and undermining global security with his remarks on treating immigrants with dignity.
“The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during a Monday interview with Hugh Hewitt. “And I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”
Leo pushed back, telling reporters the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there,” and reaffirmed his call for peace.
“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” he said.
Tensions between the two leaders began last month on social media, when Trump accused the pope of being soft on crime and terrorism over his comments on immigration policy, deportations and the Iran war. Leo responded that God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.
Trump later shared an image on Truth Social appearing to liken himself to Jesus Christ, but deleted it after backlash, saying he believed it depicted him as a doctor.
Rubio said Trump’s remarks reflect concern about Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he argued could threaten millions of Catholics and other Christians.
“[Trump] doesn’t understand why anybody — leave aside the pope — the president and I, for that matter, I think most people, I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio told reporters Tuesday at the White House.
Rubio also met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who defended Leo in measured terms ahead of the visit.
“Attacking him like that or criticizing what he does seems a bit strange to me, to say the least,” Parolin said Wednesday.
Parolin said Washington had requested the meeting and that the pope remained open to dialogue.
“We cannot ignore the United States,” he said. “Despite some difficulties, they certainly remain a key partner for the Holy See, not least because they play a role in almost every situation we face today.”
The State Department said Rubio and Parolin discussed “ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a durable peace in the Middle East. The discussion reflected the enduring partnership between the United States and the Holy See in advancing religious freedom.”
In a separate statement about the audience with Leo, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said that the two discussed 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.”
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Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.