Pope Leo XIV Chooses Quiet Diplomacy With Trump as U.S. Bishops Take the Mic

To keep channels with Washington open, the first U.S.-born pontiff is relying on American bishops to deliver the public critiques.

Overview

Recent coverage describes the pope’s stance as very cautious, with no public comments on possible U.S. moves on Iran, interest in Greenland, or the Minneapolis killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
On Sunday, he briefly addressed rising Cuba–U.S. tensions by urging all parties to avoid violence.
U.S. church leaders have stepped forward, including Archbishop Paul Coakley’s condemnation of the Minneapolis shootings and Bishop Anthony Taylor’s warning about echoes of past authoritarianism.
Cardinals Blase Cupich, Robert McElroy, and Joseph Tobin issued a joint statement criticizing U.S. interventionism and fraying multilateralism, which Vatican sources say had Leo XIV’s tacit approval.
Behind the scenes, Cardinal Pietro Parolin reportedly tried to dissuade a U.S. military operation in Venezuela, and the Holy See says it is still reflecting on an invitation to Trump’s new Council of Peace; the pope met Vice President JD Vance in 2025 but not the president.