Rubio Meets Pope Leo Amid Trump’s Pope Attacks
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- Rubio will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday, May 7, in a closed‑door half‑hour session, followed by a meeting with Vatican top diplomat Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
- Trump has continued a series of public attacks on Pope Leo, falsely claiming the pope supports Iran obtaining nuclear weapons and that he endangers Catholics by opposing the war.
- Pope Leo responded by reaffirming the Catholic Church’s opposition to nuclear arms and emphasizing its mission of peace.
- Rubio expects to discuss Cuba and global religious‑freedom concerns with Pope Leo, and US ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch says the conversation will be “frank”.
- Rubio will also meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, who has defended the pope from Trump and warned that the Iran war threatens US leadership.
Why it matters: The Vatican gains a direct diplomatic channel to discuss religious freedom, while Trump’s attacks risk alienating Catholic voters ahead of upcoming elections, potentially shifting swing-state margins.
