Marco Rubio And Pope Leo XIV Agree On The Need To ‘Work Tirelessly In Favor Of Peace’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Pope Leo XIV on the Vatican on Thursday in a go to that positioned one of many Trump administration’s most seen Catholic officers face-to-face with the primary American pope after the President brazenly criticized the pontiff.

The Vatican stated Rubio and Leo “renewed the shared dedication” to good bilateral relations and “the necessity to work tirelessly in favour of peace.” The State Division framed stated the assembly underscored the “sturdy relationship” between america and the Holy See and their shared dedication to “selling peace and human dignity.”

Rubio spent about two and a half hours on the Vatican, the place he first met privately with Pope Leo and later sat down with senior Vatican officers, together with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. State Division spokesman Tommy Pigott stated Rubio and Parolin mentioned humanitarian efforts within the Western Hemisphere, spiritual freedom, and “efforts to attain a sturdy peace within the Center East.”

The go to got here after weeks of friction between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo over the U.S.-Israeli battle with Iran. Trump has accused the pope of being too gentle on Tehran and falsely instructed that Leo believed Iran ought to be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Leo rejected that declare, saying the church’s mission is to “preach peace” and noting that Catholic instructing has lengthy opposed nuclear weapons.

Rubio, a practising Catholic and one in every of Trump’s prime overseas coverage voices, defended the president earlier than the journey, saying Trump’s concern was concerning the risk Iran may pose to locations with massive Christian and Catholic populations. “Why anybody would assume that it is a good suggestion for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon” was the problem, Rubio informed reporters Tuesday, in accordance with Al Jazeera.

Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is the primary U.S.-born pope and marks his first 12 months main the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church this week. Rubio and Vice President JD Vance met Leo final 12 months after attending the pope’s inaugural Mass, however Thursday’s viewers was the primary identified assembly between the pontiff and a Trump Cupboard official in practically a 12 months.

Video of the assembly confirmed Leo greeting Rubio as “Mr. Secretary,” whereas Rubio replied, “Nice to see you.” Rubio gave the pope a small crystal soccer, joking that he knew Leo, a Chicago native and White Sox fan, was extra of a “baseball man.” Leo gave Rubio a pen created from olive wooden, calling it “the plant of peace.”