Rubio To Meet Pope Leo Amid Trump-Pope Feud
Rubio will meet Pope Leo on May 7 to discuss humanitarian aid and Christian persecution as tensions escalate after President Trump’s public attacks on the pontiff.
Washington ExaminerRubio heads to Rome amid Trump's unpopular feud with Pope Leo
USA TODAYPapal peacemaker? Making nice with Pope Leo is Rubio’s latest job
TIME MagazinePope Leo Rejects Trump’s Nuclear Claims and Tells His Critics To Speak ‘Truthfully’
Straight Arrow NewsLeo pushes back on Trump’s latest criticism before Rubio’s papal visit
Overview
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on May 7 to discuss humanitarian aid to Cuba and challenges facing Christians in Africa, Rubio said.
The visit follows public attacks by President Donald Trump, who in a May 4 interview called the pope "weak" and on May 6 said Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear bomb.
Pope Leo pushed back on the criticism on May 5, saying the Church has opposed all nuclear weapons for years and urging critics to "speak truthfully," he said departing Castel Gandolfo.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 60% of Americans approve of Pope Leo compared with 36% who approve of President Trump, and another poll found 87% disapproved of a now-deleted Trump social media post.
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch said he expects a "frank" conversation between Rubio and the pope, according to remarks reported ahead of the meeting.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Rubio as a measured diplomatic foil to Trump by stressing his neutral tone and shared priorities with the pope while juxtaposing Trump’s sharp criticism. Editorial choices — loaded descriptors ('striking,' 'in sharp contrast'), selective emphasis on consensus topics, and highlighted comparative quotes — produce that narrative.