According to an independent media source, officials from the American defense apparatus urged the headquarters of the Catholic Church to align themselves with the military power of the United States.
Pete Hegseth, on April 8, 2026, in Washington DC (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / ANDREW HARNIK)
The Trump administration wants to target the Pope? On Thursday, April 9, the Pentagon denied press reports that claimed a high-ranking Vatican official was invited in January to demand the Church’s support for American military power. This unfolds as Pope Leon XIV, the first American pope in history, maintains a complex relationship with Donald Trump’s administration. He has spoken out against the war in Iran and rejected the prayers “of those who make war.” Attending the meeting at the Pentagon on January 22, before the war in Iran, were Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and French Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio in Washington.
According to the independent media outlet The Free Press, citing anonymous Vatican officials, the meeting quickly turned “sour,” with Pentagon officials insisting on giving lessons about US military power and stating that “the Church would do well to stand on their side.”
The Pentagon assures that the meeting was a “respectful and constructive exchange,” dismissing recent narratives as exaggerated and distorted. Discussions covered various topics, including ethical questions in foreign policy, the logic behind US national security strategy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and other themes.
The Pentagon claims that Cardinal Pierre welcomed the initiative, and both parties are looking forward to continuing an open and respectful dialogue. US Ambassador to the Vatican Brian Burch lamented the distortions that fuel division and misunderstanding, describing the encounter as “very cordial.”
Since his election in May, Leon XIV, a Chicago native, has taken a clear stance against some of the Trump administration’s decisions, particularly on immigration, criticizing a “diplomacy of force” in early January. The American president’s creed is “peace through strength.” Within the Trump administration, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, devout Catholics, attended the inaugural mass of the first American pope.
Recently, Pope Leon XIV appointed Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as the new ambassador to the United States, replacing Cardinal Pierre, who retired at the age of 80.
