Overview
- Rubio’s visit, which the State Department announced Monday, now includes a Thursday audience with Pope Leo at 11:30 a.m. in the Apostolic Palace.
- The department said talks will cover the Middle East and shared interests in the Western Hemisphere, with multiple outlets reporting Cuba as a likely topic.
- Rubio is also expected to meet Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said a meeting was likely.
- The trip follows April posts in which Trump attacked the pope, and Italian media describe Rubio’s visit as an attempt to thaw relations.
- The visit comes as the Pentagon cuts 5,000 troops from Germany and Trump threatens pullbacks from Italy and Spain, a shift that could affect nearly 13,000 U.S. personnel in Italy and raise questions for NATO planning.