Trump says Pope Leo is “endangering Catholics”; Rubio to visit Vatican amid rising tensions

WASHINGTON, May 5: US President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of “endangering Catholics” as tensions grow between Washington and the Vatican over the ongoing Iran conflict.

In an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, Trump claimed the pope was effectively enabling Tehran by advocating restraint. “The pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I don’t think that’s very good. I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.”

However, Pope Leo has not endorsed Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. Instead, he has repeatedly called for renewed diplomatic efforts, urged restraint in military actions, and warned against the humanitarian consequences of escalation. The Vatican has framed these remarks as consistent with long-standing church teachings on peace and conflict, rather than as political opposition to U.S. policy.

The dispute comes as Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to travel to Rome and Vatican City later this week, in what officials describe as an effort to ease mounting tensions. According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio will meet with senior Vatican officials, including Pope Leo, as well as Italian leaders, to discuss the Middle East and broader strategic cooperation.

“Secretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere,” the department said in a statement, adding that talks in Italy would focus on “shared security interests and strategic alignment.”

Rubio, a practicing Catholic, has visited Italy and the Vatican multiple times since assuming his role, but this trip carries added diplomatic weight amid increasingly public disagreements between the White House and the Holy See.

The friction has also been fueled by Trump’s recent rhetoric and social media activity, including a controversial post in which he likened himself to Jesus Christ, drawing criticism from religious and political figures alike.

As the Vatican continues to advocate for de-escalation and humanitarian considerations, and Washington maintains a more hardline stance on Iran, Rubio’s meetings are expected to test whether both sides can find common ground—or at least lower the temperature of an increasingly visible rift.