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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is slated to travel to Italy this week for a highly anticipated meeting with Pope Leo, a Vatican source confirmed on Sunday.
This encounter marks the first known in-person meeting between the pontiff and a U.S. cabinet official in nearly a year, occurring amidst President Donald Trump’s public criticisms of the Catholic leader.
The meeting, expected to take place on Thursday, comes as Pope Leo has emerged as a vocal critic of the U.S.-Israeli-led war with Iran, following earlier condemnations of the Trump administration’s stringent anti-immigration policies.
President Trump, in turn, sharply criticized Leo on social media multiple times in April, at one point labeling the pontiff "terrible" during Leo's four-nation Africa tour.
Trump defended an earlier AI-generated image depicting him as Jesus Christ saying he thought it was ‘a picture of me being a doctor.’ The image was later deleted from his Truth Social account ( AFP/Getty )
Rubio last met Pope Leo, the first U.S. pope, in May 2025, alongside Vice President JD Vance, attending his inaugural Mass and holding a private meeting. Pope Leo will mark his first year in office this Friday.
Beyond the Vatican, Rubio is also expected to engage with Italy’s foreign and defense ministers.
Italian national dailies La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera reported that the trip aims to alleviate tensions between the two nations, which arose after President Trump’s blunt criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last month.
It remains uncertain if Rubio will meet Meloni directly.
The diplomatic visit follows the Pentagon’s recent announcement of a drawdown of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, its largest European base.
This move underscores growing strains in U.S.-Europe relations, fueled by disagreements over the Iran war and tariff disputes.
Italy hosts a significant U.S. military presence, with nearly 13,000 active-duty soldiers across six bases at the end of 2025.
Official responses from the U.S. State Department, Vatican press office, and an Italian government spokesperson regarding the reports were not immediately available.