Marco Rubio played appeasement during his meeting with Pope Leo XIV

The United States praised the “solidity” of relations with the Vatican on Thursday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio was received by Pope Leo XIV with the clearly stated objective of easing tensions after harsh criticism from Donald Trump.

The hearing “underscored the strength of the relationship between the United States and the Holy See, as well as their shared commitment to peace and human dignity,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

Leo XIV and the head of American diplomacy had a “friendly and constructive” meeting lasting a little over 45 minutes, a State Department official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Mr. Rubio, himself a fervent Catholic and who was accompanied by his wife, was received at the apostolic palace with all the honors normally reserved for heads of state and government, according to a source familiar with the protocol in force, in a clear desire of the Vatican to also favor appeasement.

The two officials discussed the situation in the Middle East and “matters of common interest to the Western Hemisphere,” including the situation in Cuba.

Marco Rubio then spoke with the Secretary of State and No. 2 of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

“They reviewed ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and initiatives aimed at establishing lasting peace in the Middle East,” the State Department said. “Their exchanges demonstrated the strong and continuing partnership between the United States and the Holy See in favor of religious freedom,” he added.

Commitment to peace and olive pen

The Vatican, for its part, indicated that these “cordial” talks focused, among other things, on “the need to work tirelessly in favor of peace,” according to the press release.

During an exchange of gifts, the Pope notably donated an olive wood pen, while Mr. Rubio gave him a crystal American football. “The olive tree is the tree of peace,” the Pope recalled, reports the Vatican.

“The common commitment to the maintenance of good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America was reaffirmed. An exchange of views then took place […] paying particular attention to countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as the need to work tirelessly in favor of peace,” said a Vatican statement.

Before his trip, Mr. Rubio sought to put into perspective the recent diatribes of the American president towards the Pope, against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and the fight against immigration.

“We will listen to him,” Mgr Parolin, for his part, declared to journalists on Wednesday, stressing that the interview was at the initiative of Washington.

But attacking the pope “is a bit strange. The pope plays “his role,” said Pietro Parolin

“Honness”

Far from the euphoria of the first days, while the Trump government congratulated itself on the election a year ago of the first American pope in history, relations with the Holy See have seriously deteriorated.

In mid-April, the American president surprised by attacking Leo heads of state, including the Italian Giorgia Meloni, whom Mr. Rubio is due to meet on Friday in Rome.

The pope responded that he was not “afraid” of the Trump government and had a “moral duty to speak out” against the war.

Leo

The latter responded by declaring: “If anyone wants to criticize me for preaching the Gospel, let him do it with honesty. The Church has opposed all nuclear weapons for years, there is no doubt about that.”

The Pope and Marco Rubio had already met in May 2025 at the Vatican with the American vice-president, J.-D. Vance, a converted Catholic, just a few days after the election of Leo XIV.

And Cuba

The other hot issue, Cuba, was discussed during these talks on Thursday, confirmed a State Department official.

“Our work with the Catholic Church and Caritas in Cuba was discussed,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States provides humanitarian aid to Cuba through a strict channel through the local Catholic Church.

The Holy See has long played an active role in diplomacy regarding Cuba. Marco Rubio – whose parents are of Cuban origin – led the Trump administration’s efforts to put pressure on the communist government.

Since the fall of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, an ally of Havana, captured by American forces in early January, Washington has applied a policy of maximum pressure on the island, already subject to an American embargo for more than six decades.