Rubio Meets Pope Leo Amid Tensions Over Iran War
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting Pope Leo at the Vatican today following a series of public attacks by President Trump against the pontiff. The discussions are expected to address the ongoing conflict in Iran and global religious freedom amid growing friction between the two leaders.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday as President Donald Trump continues public attacks on the Catholic leader over the Iran war. It is the first meeting between a Trump cabinet official and the pope in nearly a year. The closed-door session is expected to last about a half-hour.
Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, was due to arrive at the Apostolic Palace in the morning for the visit. He will subsequently meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's top diplomat. U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch told journalists the conversation is likely to be frank.
