Overview
- Italian papers reported Sunday that Rubio plans meetings in Rome and the Vatican on May 7–8 to help “thaw” relations.
- He is expected to meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's top diplomat, along with Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani and defense minister Guido Crosetto.
- The schedule is not final, with no indication of a meeting with Pope Leo and a possible sit-down with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
- Reuters reported that the U.S. State Department, the Vatican press office and an Italian government spokesperson did not confirm the trip.
- The reported outreach follows Trump's April attacks on the pope and Meloni and comes days after the Pentagon announced a 5,000 troop drawdown from Germany, a move watched in Italy where nearly 13,000 U.S. troops serve.