As U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares for a high-profile meeting with Pope Leo XIV this week, President Donald Trump has intensified his attacks on the American-born pontiff, accusing him of being soft on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and deepening tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
Speaking with Salem News host Hugh Hewitt on Sunday about freeing Catholic Hong Kong journalist Jimmy Lai, Trump said the pope “would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good.”
“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people, but I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” the U.S. president added.
Leo responded to Trump’s latest criticism while speaking to reporters on Tuesday, reminding them the Catholic Church “for years has spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there.”
“The mission of the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth,” Leo said as he left the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo to return to Rome.
Trump criticized Pope Leo on social media last month over the pontiff’s stance on the Iran war and immigration, calling him “weak on crime,” and later refused to apologize for the remarks.
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Of course, Leo never said he wanted Iran to have nuclear weapons–the Vatican has called for atomic bombs to be banned since their invention. And many of the president’s defenders have said, “Trump was just being Trump,” when he made the remarks.
However, Rubio’s visit to Rome highlights the growing tension between Trump and the Catholic Church.
When Trump won his second term, Pope Francis was still alive. The Argentinian pontiff had a very contentious relationship with the New York businessman, even saying when asked about his election policies in 2016, “Building walls instead of bridges is not Christian; this is not in the Gospel.”
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Some may have breathed a sigh of relief when an American was elected pope in 2025, shortly after Trump returned to office, hoping the shared nationality might ease tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
Instead, Trump’s hardline immigration policies and the escalating conflict in the Middle East quickly placed the two men at odds.
The growing friction is likely creating headaches for Rubio. Trump enjoyed strong support from Catholic voters in 2024, with an even higher percentage of weekly Mass attendees backing the president.
Many high-ranking officials in his administration are practicing Catholics, including Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.
Early in his presidency, Trump used this fact to block his opposition from Church officials. So-called “Border Czar” Tom Homan is Catholic, and often challenges the Vatican policies in blunt terms that are shielded by his religious affiliation.
Vance has also attacked the Church on issues of immigration, but carefully separated the U.S. Bishops Conference from the bishops as individuals.
It seems Trump, however, cannot help but make himself the center of attention by offhandedly attacking the pope just days before he meets with a high-ranking U.S. official.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch said he expected a “frank” meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo on Thursday.
“Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you work through those is … through fraternity and authentic dialogue,” Burch said.
But the ambassador also maintained there was not “some deep rift” between the Holy See and the United States, adding “if there are differences, certainly to talk through that.”
Rubio has a special reason to “talk through” any differences between Catholic leaders and the United States.
Trump is not only serving in the first part of a new presidency, but also beginning the “lame duck” period of a president’s second term. Midterm elections are just months away, and potential nominees for the presidency are gearing up to toss their hats into the ring.
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The president’s job approval rating now stands at 34 percent – the lowest mark since his term began.
A new national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted April 20-26, shows that public confidence in Trump on several key issues facing the nation has declined.
Pew shows 41 percent now say they are very or somewhat confident Trump can make good decisions on immigration policy, down from 46 percent in August and 53 percent shortly after his 2024 re-election.
It also finds 38 percent now express confidence in Trump to use military force wisely, down from 46 percent last summer.
The poll finds the economy is among Trump’s best-rated issues, though fewer overall are confident in him than not.
More importantly for the coming elections, the poll shows declines in Trump’s standing have come at least as much from Republicans as from Democrats.
High gasoline prices and how the war in the Middle East is affecting inflation are two big issues hurting Republicans.
Meanwhile, a March 2026 poll by Shaw & Company Research and Beacon Research found 52 percent of Catholics disapproved of Trump, with support dropping to 48 percent. The poll was conducted a month before the president began attacking the American pope directly.
Both Vance and Rubio are considered leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. It is getting more difficult for them to decide whether to continue with full-throated support for a president with flagging poll numbers or to distance themselves and risk attacks by Trump’s often virulent supporters.
Rubio told reporters on Tuesday that Trump’s recent criticisms were rooted in his opposition to Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians.
“The president and I, for that matter, think most people cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon,” the U.S. Secretary of State said.
The Vatican steps may prove a difficult climb for Rubio as he attempts to balance loyalty to Trump with his standing as one of America’s most prominent Catholic officials.
Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome
