Vance and Rubio meet Pope Leo XIV as U.S. seeks reset in Vatican relations amid Ukraine war

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, signaling a potential reset in relations between the Trump administration and the Holy See, with a renewed focus on global peacemaking.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held their first official meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Monday, as the Trump administration works to rebuild ties with the Vatican by focusing on shared goals, such as pursuing peace in Ukraine, and downplaying longstanding tensions over immigration.

The meeting followed Vance’s previous audience with Pope Francis, who had openly criticized President Trump’s faith and Vance’s use of a medieval Catholic concept to justify the administration’s strict immigration policies. Pope Francis passed away a day after that encounter. With Pope Leo XIV — the first American to lead the Catholic Church — now in the papacy, U.S. officials see a chance to align on key global challenges.

During his inaugural Mass, Pope Leo called for peace in Gaza, Myanmar, and Ukraine, reinforcing his image as a global peacemaker — a message that resonates with Trump’s current foreign policy narrative. Though the Vatican provided limited details about the meeting with Vance, it confirmed that topics discussed included religious freedom, humanitarian law, and diplomatic solutions to global conflicts.

Photos from the encounter showed a cordial exchange, with Vance presenting Leo a personalized Chicago Bears jersey. Meanwhile, Rubio also met with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Vatican’s envoy for Ukraine, and welcomed the idea of the Holy See hosting peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

U.S. officials emphasized that Trump’s diplomatic efforts, including ceasefire initiatives in Gaza and recent negotiations between India and Pakistan, align with the Vatican’s calls for peace. Leo reportedly supported the South Asian ceasefire, calling it a positive step forward.

Despite efforts to find common ground, major differences remain — particularly over immigration. Social media posts linked to Leo’s pre-papacy account suggest a strong defense of migrant rights and a rejection of nationalist rhetoric, including past critiques of Trump’s policies. Vance’s use of the concept ordo amoris to defend prioritizing citizens over migrants was specifically challenged in one post.

Leo, a former missionary in Peru and naturalized U.S. citizen, has emphasized human dignity and unity beyond national borders, calling for compassion toward both citizens and immigrants. Still, he has also expressed traditional Catholic values, including support for marriage as a union between a man and a woman — potentially signaling a more balanced approach compared to his predecessor.

Rubio, pushing back against critics, argued that there is no contradiction between Catholic teaching and stricter immigration controls, emphasizing the dangers of mass migration and human trafficking. He added that the papacy should be seen as a spiritual, not political, office.

While Pope Leo has so far refrained from criticizing the Trump administration directly, some Church officials believe his leadership will inevitably contrast with Trump’s nationalist agenda. Others, however, argue the pope’s role is to unify and preach the Gospel, not engage in political opposition.

Observers say the outcome of this evolving relationship between the Trump administration and the Vatican will depend on how both sides navigate their significant differences — especially on moral and social issues that increasingly define both global diplomacy and domestic U.S. politics.

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