May 8, 2026 11:49 AM
Pope Leo, Rubio commit to stronger ties, Vatican says, amid Trump tensions
Pope Leo and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio jointly committed at a meeting on Thursday to improving relations between the Vatican and Washington, at a time when President Donald Trumph as repeatedly attacked the pontiff. Leo and Rubio "renewed the shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations," the Vatican said in a statement after the first meeting between the pope and a Trump cabinet official in nearly a year, amid an atmosphere of tension with Washington. Leo, the first U.S. ...