The pontiff “is putting many Catholics and many people in danger. For him, it’s perfectly fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” US President Donald Trump returns to attack Pope Leo XIV, further complicating Marco Rubio’s mission and triggering the reaction of the Meloni government. The president’s new words against the first American pope in history do not go unnoticed in the Vatican. And they further complicate the visit of his secretary of state to the peninsula.
“I announce peace, whoever criticizes me for this should do so”
“The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel and peace. If anyone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let them do so”, said Pope Leo XIV as he left Castel Gandolfo and responded to the tycoon’s intervention. The pontiff recalled that “the Church has spoken against all nuclear weapons for years”. So “there is no doubt. I simply hope to be heard for the value of the word of God”. What about the meeting with Rubio? I hope for a “good dialogue, with trust, with openness to understand each other well”, stated the pontiff.
In recent hours it was the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who underlined that the pontiff “continues on his way, in the sense of preaching the Gospel, peace as Saint Paul would say” on every “opportune and inopportune” occasion. “You may like it or not”, remarked Parolin, but Prevost’s role is to “preach peace”.
The attacks against the Holy Father @Pontifex_enhead and spiritual guide of the Catholic Church, are neither acceptable nor useful to the cause of peace. I reiterate my support for every action and word of Pope Leo, his are testimonies in favor of dialogue, of…
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) May 5, 2026
The Italian government has also taken a stand against the US president’s new move. “The attacks against the Holy Father are neither acceptable nor useful to the cause of peace. I reiterate my support for every action and word of Pope Leo”, wrote on “The Pope is not discussed, he is listened to”, underlined the other vice-president of the Council Matteo Salvini.
Trump’s words
But what exactly did the tycoon say? Speaking to the broadcaster Salem Newsn and during an interview with the journalist Hugh Hewitt the US president stated that “the pope is endangering many Catholics and many people”. According to Trump, Prevost “prefers to talk about how it’s acceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, I don’t think that’s a good thing.”
Rubio’s mission is important for two reasons
Statements that arrive a few hours before the scheduled meeting between Marco Rubio and the pontiff. The mission now appears increasingly uphill: a fervent Catholic, the American Secretary of State saw the Pope in 2025 while participating in his inauguration ceremony. Then Vice President J.D. Vance was with him. This time Rubio will appear at the Vatican alone, signaling, according to observers, his rise within the administration and among Republicans, who increasingly see him as a convincing alternative to the presidency for 2028.