Rubio Meets with Pope Leo, Meloni Amid Strained US-Italy Relations

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday, attempting to mend diplomatic relations that have deteriorated between longtime allies. The high-stakes meeting comes just one day after Rubio, a practicing Catholic, held talks at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV and senior church officials.

The Vatican meeting marks a significant diplomatic effort to calm tensions following weeks of escalating rhetoric between President Donald Trump and the Holy See. During the talks, described by Vatican sources as “constructive,” Rubio likely aimed to bridge divides over several international conflicts, particularly the Iran war.

“This visit represents the Trump administration’s first substantive engagement with the pontiff in nearly a year,” noted a European diplomatic observer familiar with the meetings. “The timing is significant as it coincides with the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo’s election.”

For much of Trump’s second term, Meloni was widely viewed as his closest ideological ally among major European leaders. The two conservative politicians shared positions on immigration, nationalism, border security and opposition to progressive cultural politics. Their rapport was notably warm during public appearances, with Trump once praising Meloni as “a beautiful young woman” and “an incredible leader” during a 2025 Middle East summit in Egypt.

Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, and she visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier in his term, positioning herself as a key intermediary between Washington and Europe. Both leaders embraced tougher border enforcement policies and argued for stronger nationalist identities.

However, this political partnership has come under significant strain in recent months as Trump’s clash with Pope Leo XIV has intensified, coinciding with separate tensions over Italy’s reluctance to allow the use of its territory for U.S. military operations related to the Iran conflict.

The rift became publicly apparent when Meloni criticized Trump’s attacks on the pope as “unacceptable,” prompting Trump to lash back. In an April 30 statement that shocked European allies, Trump suggested he might withdraw U.S. troops from Italy and Spain, saying, “Italy has not been of any help to us.”

The Vatican dispute has been particularly problematic for Meloni domestically. Pope Leo, the first American-born pontiff, remains highly influential in Italy, where criticism of the pope by foreign leaders can become politically toxic. Trump’s comments about Leo’s opposition to the Iran war generated significant backlash among Italian Catholics and across Italy’s political spectrum.

“The relationship deterioration is remarkable given how closely aligned these two leaders appeared to be ideologically,” said a Rome-based political analyst. “It demonstrates how geopolitical realities can quickly override political affinities.”

The Iran conflict has further complicated relations. Italian officials have reportedly expressed growing discomfort over the possibility of deeper U.S. military escalation and concerns about American military basing access in Italy. Rome has also faced domestic pressure to distance itself from Washington’s handling of the conflict, with Pope Leo’s consistent advocacy for peace and nuclear disarmament resonating strongly with the Italian public.

Economic tensions continue simmering in the background as well. While Trump earlier in 2026 reduced tariffs on some Italian exports, including pasta products, as what he described as a “New Year’s gift” to Italy, concerns remain in Rome and Brussels over the administration’s repeated threats to impose broader tariffs on European goods.

Against this complex backdrop, Rubio’s visit is widely interpreted as an effort to stabilize relations before the political rift deepens further. During his talks with Meloni and other Italian officials, the secretary of state is expected to discuss Middle East security, NATO coordination, migration and trade as the administration works to preserve Italy’s role as one of Washington’s closest partners in Southern Europe.

Diplomatic observers note the visit comes at a crucial juncture for transatlantic relations, with the United States seeking to maintain European support for its stance on Iran while navigating the political sensitivities of its actions among even its closest allies.