Rubio Discusses the Middle East With Pope After Trump Dispute
Pope Leo XIV meets with US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio during an audience at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on May 7.
Photographer: Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Getty ImagesSecretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, following a public clash between the pontiff and President Donald Trump in recent weeks.
Rubio and the pope spoke about “topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere,” the State Department said in a statement Thursday. “The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”