Secretary of State Marco Rubio after a press briefing at the White House in Washington, on May 5, 2026. MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the eve of a Vatican visit on Tuesday, May 5, played down President Donald Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV, who stood firm in calling for the promotion of peace. Rubio, a devout Catholic, will meet Thursday at the Vatican with the first American-born pope, who has angered Trump by calling for an end to war in the Middle East and speaking out on defending migrants.
"It's a trip we had planned from before, and obviously we had some stuff that happened," Rubio told reporters at the White House when asked about Trump's criticism. "There's a lot to talk about with the Vatican."
Subscribers only
'Enough of war!': Pope Leo XIV publicly opposes Trump, who fiercely criticizes him in return
