Overview
- The Vatican confirmed Monday that Pope León XIV will receive U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, with a schedule entry setting a private audience for 11:30 a.m. in the Apostolic Palace.
- The U.S. State Department said Rubio will be in Rome and the Vatican from May 6 to 8 to advance bilateral ties and coordinate on global challenges, according to deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
- Rubio’s agenda includes meetings with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Italy’s foreign and defense chiefs, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto, and he has asked to see Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
- The outreach follows an April 7 dispute in which the pope called Trump’s threat against Iran unacceptable, and Trump replied by calling the pontiff weak and terrible at foreign policy.
- Diplomats cast the visit as an effort to defuse a rift that could hinder cooperation on humanitarian relief and security, including U.S.–Italy defense ties that Trump has recently questioned.