US-Vatican Interaction Draws Attention, Rubio to Meet Pope to Promote Dialogue
US Secretary of State Rubio is scheduled to meet with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican on May 7 to discuss Cuba and global religious freedom. This visit occurs amidst heightened tensions between the US and the Vatican, following President Trump's criticism of the Pope regarding the US-Iran war.
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- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 15:20
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington/Vatican City, May 5, comprehensive foreign report) US Secretary of State Rubio today stated that during his scheduled visit to the Vatican on May 7, he expects to discuss issues such as Cuba and global religious freedom with Pope Leo XIV. President Trump again made accusatory remarks after the Pope criticized the US-Israel war against Iran.
According to Reuters, the US Ambassador to the Holy See earlier stated that Rubio and the Pope would engage in 'frank dialogue on US policy'.
US Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch pointed out: 'Differences between nations are inevitable, and one way to resolve them is through brotherhood and sincere dialogue.'
Rubio told reporters at the White House that he expects to discuss global religious freedom, focusing on the situation in Africa, and humanitarian aid to Cuba with the Vatican.
He said: 'There are many issues to discuss with the Vatican. The Pope is not only the Vicar of Christ and a Catholic leader, but also the head of a sovereign state.'
When asked if the trip was to 'ease relations with the Pope,' Rubio replied: 'No, this trip was already planned, though some things have happened in the interim.'
Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt yesterday: 'The Pope would rather talk about it being okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons, and I don't think that's good.'
The Pope has never stated support for Iran possessing nuclear weapons, but he opposes what Trump calls a war aimed at ending Iran's nuclear program.
Regarding Trump's criticism, the Pope stated that he hopes to spread the message of Christianity by talking about peace and accepts external criticism.
The Pope firmly denied supporting nuclear weapons, which the Catholic Church considers immoral. He stated: 'The Church has been clearly opposed to all nuclear weapons for many years, there is no doubt about that.'
Rubio and Vice President Vance, both Catholics, met with the Pope a year ago at his inauguration mass.
Additionally, Rubio will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on May 8. Meloni has defended the Pope, and Italy's Minister of Defense stated that an Iran war could weaken US leadership.
The Pope will celebrate his first anniversary leading 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide on May 8. Although relatively low-key on the international stage in the early part of his tenure, he has become a firm critic of the Iran war in recent weeks.
The Pope has also harshly criticized the Trump administration's strict anti-immigration policies and called for dialogue between the US and Catholic-majority Cuba. Cuba has long faced power outages due to US sanctions, which Washington says are aimed at pressuring the Cuban communist regime. (Compiler: Hsu Jui-cheng) 1150506
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(Central News Agency, Washington/Vatican City, May 5, comprehensive foreign report) US Secretary of State Rubio today stated that during his scheduled visit to the Vatican on May 7, he expects to discuss issues such as Cuba and global religious freedom with Pope Leo XIV. President Trump again made accusatory remarks after the Pope criticized the US-Israel war against Iran.
According to Reuters, the US Ambassador to the Holy See earlier stated that Rubio and the Pope would engage in 'frank dialogue on US policy'.
US Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch pointed out: 'Differences between nations are inevitable, and one way to resolve them is through brotherhood and sincere dialogue.'
Rubio told reporters at the White House that he expects to discuss global religious freedom, focusing on the situation in Africa, and humanitarian aid to Cuba with the Vatican.
He said: 'There are many issues to discuss with the Vatican. The Pope is not only the Vicar of Christ and a Catholic leader, but also the head of a sovereign state.'
When asked if the trip was to 'ease relations with the Pope,' Rubio replied: 'No, this trip was already planned, though some things have happened in the interim.'
Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt yesterday: 'The Pope would rather talk about it being okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons, and I don't think that's good.'
The Pope has never stated support for Iran possessing nuclear weapons, but he opposes what Trump calls a war aimed at ending Iran's nuclear program.
Regarding Trump's criticism, the Pope stated that he hopes to spread the message of Christianity by talking about peace and accepts external criticism.
The Pope firmly denied supporting nuclear weapons, which the Catholic Church considers immoral. He stated: 'The Church has been clearly opposed to all nuclear weapons for many years, there is no doubt about that.'
Rubio and Vice President Vance, both Catholics, met with the Pope a year ago at his inauguration mass.
Additionally, Rubio will meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on May 8. Meloni has defended the Pope, and Italy's Minister of Defense stated that an Iran war could weaken US leadership.
The Pope will celebrate his first anniversary leading 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide on May 8. Although relatively low-key on the international stage in the early part of his tenure, he has become a firm critic of the Iran war in recent weeks.
The Pope has also harshly criticized the Trump administration's strict anti-immigration policies and called for dialogue between the US and Catholic-majority Cuba. Cuba has long faced power outages due to US sanctions, which Washington says are aimed at pressuring the Cuban communist regime. (Compiler: Hsu Jui-cheng) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship you provide supports press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcasted, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.