US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to the Vatican and Italy for important meetings this week, according to two major Italian newspapers. The visit comes at a sensitive time, just weeks after President Donald Trump faced criticism from Christians worldwide for his sharp comments against Pope Leo on social media.
Reports in La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera suggest Rubio, who is Catholic, may meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomat. It remains unclear whether he will have a direct meeting with Pope Leo. Rubio last met the Pope, the first American to hold the position, in May 2025 along with Vice President JD Vance. They attended the inaugural Mass and held a private discussion the following day.
Trip Aims to Ease Tensions
The Pope has recently lashed out at the Israeli-American intervention in Iran and the Trump administration’s hardline stance against immigrants. Trump retorted to the pontiff on social media by calling him “terrible.” This meeting may help improve US-Vatican relations.
Moreover, Rubio will meet with the foreign and defense ministers of Italy. His goal is to alleviate tensions with the Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, who is Trump’s ally in Europe. Although it is uncertain whether he will meet with Meloni, he has scheduled meetings with other high-ranking officials.
Italy is home to around 13,000 US soldiers deployed at six military bases in the country. Thus, the visit of the Republican senator will be important for US-Iran relations.
Neither the US State Department nor the Vatican authorities have made any comments regarding the report.
