4 weeks ago
Donald Trump has issued a caller verbal onslaught against Pope Leo XIV, accusing nan pontiff of “endangering a batch of Catholics” because “he thinks it’s good for Iran to person a atomic weapon”.
The remarks travel 2 days earlier Marco Rubio, nan US caput of state, meets Leo astatine nan Vatican successful an effort to easiness nan tensions sparked by Trump’s erstwhile broadside against nan Chicago-born pontiff complete his condemnation of nan US-Israeli warfare connected Iran.
Speaking to Hugh Hewitt, a salient blimpish power talkshow big connected nan US-based Salem News network, Trump said nan pope “would alternatively talk astir nan truth that it’s OK for Iran to person a atomic weapon, and I don’t deliberation that’s very good”.
“I deliberation he’s endangering a batch of Catholics and a batch of people,” nan US president added. “But I conjecture if it’s up to nan pope, he thinks it’s conscionable good for Iran to person a atomic weapon.”
Leo has ne'er said that Iran should person atomic weapons, but has many times opposed nan warfare connected nan state and nan consequent escalation of nan conflict successful Lebanon and nan wider Middle East, calling for ceasefires and dialogue.
Brian Burch, nan US ambassador to nan Holy See, said connected Tuesday that he expected a “frank” gathering betwixt Rubio, a Catholic, and Leo astatine nan Apostolic Palace connected Thursday morning.
“Nations person disagreements, and I deliberation 1 of nan ways that you activity done those is … done fraternity and authentic dialogue,” Burch told reporters, adding that he thought Rubio was coming to nan Vatican “in that spirit, to person a frank speech astir US policy, to prosecute successful dialogue”.
Burch said he did not judge nan thought that location was “some heavy rift” betwixt nan US and nan Vatican, saying that Rubio was coming truthful that each broadside could “better understand each other, and to activity through, if location are differences, surely to talk done that”.
The trip, which coincides pinch nan first day of Leo’s papacy, was organised aft Trump lashed retired astatine nan pope successful April, calling him anemic and saying he was not doing a very bully occupation arsenic pontiff. Trump besides shared an AI-generated image depicting himself arsenic Christ, earlier deleting it and saying it had really been a portrayal of him arsenic a doctor.
Rubio will besides endeavour to spot things up pinch nan Italian authorities aft Trump berated its premier minister, Giorgia Meloni, antecedently 1 of his closest friends successful Europe, for calling retired his remarks against Leo, rebuking her authorities for not supporting nan strikes connected Iran and threatening to retreat US troops from Italy arsenic a result.
Rubio will besides meet nan Vatican’s caput of state, Pietro Parolin, earlier gathering Meloni and nan Italian overseas minister, Antonio Tajani, connected Friday morning.
The US vice-president, JD Vance – a Catholic person – has besides criticised nan pope, saying nan Vatican should “stick to matters of morality” and that Leo should beryllium observant erstwhile it came to talking astir theology and war.
Rubio and Vance attended nan pope’s inauguration successful May past twelvemonth and had a private assemblage with him nan time after, during which they handed him an invitation from Trump to nan White House that Leo has not yet taken up.
