U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to Italy this week for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV, a senior Vatican official told USA TODAY.
The visit would be the first meeting between the Chicago-born pontiff and a senior member of the administration since President Donald Trump sharply criticized the pope last month. The Vatican official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the meeting was not yet publicly announced. An official Vatican calendar notice subsequently said the meeting was due May 7.
The Washington Post first reported news of the expected meeting. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a comment request.
Leo and Trump. The parable of the pope versus the president
Trump has been at odds with the pope's position on the war in Iran. The Vatican has also traditionally acted as a mediator with Cuba, a country Trump has mused about taking over. Leo has expressed concerns about rising tensions between the Trump administration and Cuba. The White House is intent on pushing for economic and political reforms in Cuba and has instituted a de facto oil blockade of the island that has brought it to the brink of humanitarian disaster.
