Rubio makes fence-mending visit to the Vatican after Trump’s broadsides against Pope Leo XIV U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican on Thursday. The visit aimed to strengthen bilateral ties between the U.S. and the Holy See. This comes after President Trump’s critical remarks towards Pope Leo XIV regarding his opposition to the Iran war, which had previously strained relations.

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican.
• The visit aimed to reinforce strong bilateral ties.
• Tensions arose due to U.S. President Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV.
• The Pope’s opposition to the Iran war was the cause of the dispute.
• The incident angered the Holy See and led to ongoing sparring.