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Rubio Heads to Vatican as Trump-Pope Clash Escalates, Straining US-Holy See Relations

Tensions between Washington and the Vatican are reaching a boiling point as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares for high-stakes talks with Pope Leo in Rome, following a wave of explosive criticism from President Donald Trump that has rattled diplomatic and religious circles across Europe and the United States.

Rubio is set to meet the pontiff at the Apostolic Palace on Thursday morning before holding a series of meetings with Italy’s government, as the fallout from Trump’s remarks continues to widen into a broader diplomatic crisis involving the Vatican, Washington, and Rome.

“Trump ‘doesn’t understand why anyone – leave aside the pope – would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,’” Rubio said.

Mounting Vatican-Washington Tensions

Relations between the Holy See and the US have rarely been more strained. The visit comes after Trump launched a series of attacks on Pope Leo over his opposition to the Iran war and broader criticism of nuclear escalation.

On Tuesday, Trump escalated his criticism of the pontiff, accusing him of supporting nuclear weapons and “endangering a lot of Catholics’’ with his stance against the Iran war, intensifying an already volatile political and religious dispute.

“If anyone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the gospel, let them do so with the truth: the church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, there is no doubt about that. I simply hope to be listened to because of the value of God’s word.”

Pope Leo responded directly on Wednesday, defending the Church’s long-standing opposition to nuclear arms and pushing back against accusations that his position was political rather than doctrinal.

Trump’s Escalating Rhetoric

Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo has been building for months. In April, the US president lashed out at the pontiff over his comments on the Iran conflict, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” and even suggesting his election was influenced by Trump’s own presidency. He also shared, then deleted, an AI-generated image portraying himself in a Christ-like image, adding to the controversy surrounding his rhetoric.

The growing hostility has placed Rubio in a delicate position, with analysts saying his mission is to ease tensions while still defending Washington’s justification for confronting Iran over nuclear weapons concerns.

Vatican Pushback and Diplomatic Friction

Inside the Vatican, officials have responded with visible frustration but restrained language.

“I count on no one. I count only on our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Cardinal Pietro Parolin also questioned the tone of the attacks coming from Washington.

“Trump attacking Leo in this way, or reproaching him for what he does, seems rather strange, to say the least.”

His remarks underline the deep unease within the Vatican as relations with the United States deteriorate.

Italy Drawn Into the Conflict

Rubio’s visit also includes talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, as tensions between Rome and Washington add another layer of diplomatic strain.

Italy has been pulled into the dispute, with political pressure mounting after Trump’s criticism of both the pope and Meloni’s government. According to political historian Lorenzo Castellani of Luiss Guido Carli University, Trump’s attacks on the pontiff have forced Meloni to recalibrate her position.

Castellani said the shift reflects rising domestic pressure in Italy, where foreign policy has become a major public concern due to global instability and the economic consequences of conflict.

He noted that opinion trends now cut across political lines, with broad condemnation of Trump’s stance emerging among voters on both the right and left.

US Troops in Italy Add New Pressure Point

Another sensitive issue expected to surface in talks is the presence of roughly 13,000 US military personnel stationed across seven naval bases in Italy.

Asked last week about the possibility of withdrawing troops, Trump responded bluntly.

“Probably … Italy has not been of any help to us.”

The comment has further unsettled Italian-US relations, adding to concerns that broader strategic cooperation could be at risk as political tensions escalate.

A Relationship Under Strain

With diplomatic, military, and religious tensions converging at once, Rubio’s meetings in Rome are unfolding against one of the most strained periods in modern US-Vatican relations.

What was once a largely symbolic partnership is now entangled in a high-stakes geopolitical dispute involving nuclear policy, war rhetoric, and shifting alliances across Europe.