Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called his meeting with Pope Leo XIV "very cordial" and "productive" despite tensions between the first American pontiff and the Trump administration over the war in Iran. "I updated them on the situation with Iran, expressed our point of view about why this was important and the danger that Iran poses to the world, which is largely recognized," he told reporters in Rome. Pope Leo has repeatedly spoken out against the Iran war, prompting President Trump to lash out against him, accusing him of wanting Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. "The Holy Father is a spiritual leader, first and foremost, and that's his role to play," Secretary Rubio said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called his meeting with Pope Leo XIV "very cordial" and "productive" despite tensions between the first American pontiff and the Trump administration over the war in Iran. "I updated them on the situation with Iran, expressed our point of view about why this was important and the danger that Iran poses to the world, which is largely recognized," he told reporters in Rome. Pope Leo has repeatedly spoken out against the Iran war, prompting President Trump to lash out against him, accusing him of wanting Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. "The Holy Father is a spiritual leader, first and foremost, and that's his role to play," Secretary Rubio said. "Obviously, the church has always interacted on behalf of a mission for peace and a respect for all of humanity. At the end, it was a very cordial and important meeting, and it's important to share our points of view." Asked whether he would advise President Trump to stop attacking the pope, Secretary Rubio said: "The president will always speak clearly about how he feels about the U.S. and U.S. policy." #marcorubio #trump #popeleo #catholic #cspan ♬ original sound - C-SPAN
