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.
A U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending war between the two countries has been signed electronically by President Donald Trump and Ira...
Voters in Makerfield are casting their ballots in a closely watched by-election that could have implications far beyond Greater Manchester....
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said th...
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at str...
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would conne...
Voters in Makerfield are casting their ballots in a closely watched by-election that could have implications far beyond Greater Manchester.
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said the passport was issued to a 36-year-old Georgian citizen.
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at strengthening trade routes and reducing reliance on transit routes through neighbouring countries.
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea and offer an alternative trade route to the busy Strait of Malacca.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump said a preliminary agreement to end the war in the Gulf has been signed by the U.S. and Iran, though details have yet to be made public and both countries said a permanent truce is yet to be negotiated.
A cyber extortion group has claimed it stole more than a terabyte of data from Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk after the company allegedly refused to pay a $25 million ransom.
Pakistan's heavy reliance on imported energy was laid bare by the U.S.-Iran conflict, which disrupted regional supplies, drove up costs and exposed vulnerabilities in the country's energy security. However, a proposed peace agreement now offers hope for economic relief.
A U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding aimed at ending war between the two countries has been signed electronically by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Meanwhile, Israel has continued to carry out lethal strikes on southern Lebanon.
Voters in Makerfield are casting their ballots in a closely watched by-election that could have implications far beyond Greater Manchester.
A man carrying a Georgian passport has been arrested in Warsaw over the murder of an exiled Kremlin critic in Poland, authorities said. Police said the passport was issued to a 36-year-old Georgian citizen.
Thailand is reviving plans for one of its most ambitious infrastructure projects in decades, a proposed $30 billion “Land Bridge” that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea and offer an alternative trade route to the busy Strait of Malacca.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has delivered a stark message to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies, warning that some member states are falling short on defence commitments and signalling a tougher U.S. approach as the alliance prepares for its upcoming summit in Ankara.
The United Kingdom is set to introduce a sweeping ban on social media access for children under 16 following a landmark government announcement this month.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment