Secretary of State Marco Rubio received welcomed positive attention in Europe after meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, a high-profile visit that came as tensions between President Donald Trump and the first American-born pope continue to grow over immigration and the war involving Iran.
Rubio met privately with Pope Leo at the Apostolic Palace before holding talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state. According to the Vatican, discussions focused on armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, and "the need to work tirelessly in favor of peace."
"The cordial talks at the Secretariat of State expressed satisfaction at the good bilateral relations existing between the Holy See and the United States of America," the Vatican said in its official statement.
The meeting happened after weeks of increasingly public friction between Trump and Pope Leo. The pope has repeatedly called for restraint in the Middle East and criticized harsh anti-immigration rhetoric, while Trump accused the pontiff of being "weak" on Iran and migration issues.
Before Rubio arrived in Rome, Cardinal Parolin described Trump's attacks on the pope as "strange" in unusually direct comments reported by Reuters.
Against that backdrop, Rubio's visit was widely viewed in Europe as an effort to lower tensions between Washington and the Vatican.
The trip has been described by analysts as a "fence-mending visit," while the Associated Press reported that both the Vatican and the State Department moved quickly afterward to emphasize that relations remain strong despite disagreements.
"The secretary underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said after the meeting, adding that Rubio and Vatican officials discussed "promoting peace around the world."
European outlets closely followed both the symbolism and tone of the visit.
A symbolic exchange of gifts between Pope Leo XIV and Marco Rubio: a football-shaped crystal paperweight from the U.S. Secretary of State, and an olive wood pen from the Pontiff. “The olive tree is the plant of peace” a simple but meaningful message in complex times. https://t.co/mVD4FjvRkc
— Fardowza Nur (@ReginaSheba) May 7, 2026
The reactions from the European media have been a change in the usual tone reserved for the relationship between Washington and the Vatican. Euronews highlighted Washington's attempt to stress a "strong relationship" with the Vatican after Trump's criticism of the pope. Deutsche Welle noted that Rubio tried to minimize the idea of a rupture before the meeting, telling reporters the trip had been scheduled before Trump's latest comments about Pope Leo.
The symbolism of the encounter also drew attention. Rubio gave Pope Leo a crystal football, while the pope presented Rubio with an olive-wood pen. Reuters reported that Pope Leo referenced the olive tree as "the plant of peace," a remark widely interpreted by Vatican observers as a subtle diplomatic message amid the war rhetoric surrounding Iran.
For many in Europe, Rubio's measured tone stood out.
The Washington Post reported that Vatican officials privately viewed the meeting as an important opportunity to stabilize relations with the White House after one of the most difficult periods in recent memory between the Holy See and a U.S. administration.
The dispute has become unusually personal because Pope Leo is American. Since becoming pope, he has spoken openly about the dignity of migrants, humanitarian protections, and the dangers of nationalist rhetoric, positions that have increasingly clashed with Trump's political messaging.
Rubio, a practicing Catholic and the son of Cuban immigrants, entered the Vatican carrying that political baggage. He left with noticeably softer headlines across Europe than many Trump officials have received in recent months.
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