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BumRushDaShow

(171,543 posts) Sun May 3, 2026, 09:06 AM Sunday

US Secretary of State to Travel to Vatican and Italy, Newspapers Report

Source: US News & World Report/Reuters

May 3, 2026, at 3:57 a.m.

ROME, May 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco ⁠Rubio ⁠will travel to the Vatican ⁠and Italy for meetings this week, two Italian newspapers reported on Sunday, weeks after President Donald Trump drew criticism from Christians across the political spectrum by ‌attacking Pope Leo on social media.

Reports ‌in national dailies La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera did not indicate whether Rubio, ⁠a Catholic, ⁠would meet personally with Leo, but said he was expected to meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's lead diplomatic official. Rubio last met Leo, the first U.S. pope, in May 2025, alongside Vice President JD Vance. The two U.S. officials attended the new pope's inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square and had a private meeting with the pontiff ⁠the ⁠next day.

The pope, who ⁠maintained a relatively low-profile on the global stage in the first months of his papacy, emerged in recent weeks as an ⁠outspoken critic of the U.S.-Israeli led war on Iran and sharply criticized the Trump administration's hard-line anti-immigration policies. Trump criticized Leo on social media several times in April, at one point calling the pontiff "terrible".

The U.S. State Department, Vatican press office and an Italian government spokesperson did ⁠not immediately respond to questions about the reports.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-05-03/us-secretary-of-state-to-travel-to-vatican-and-italy-newspapers-report

11 replies

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US Secretary of State to Travel to Vatican and Italy, Newspapers Report (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Sunday OP

It's 'lights out' for Leo. NT mahatmakanejeeves Sunday #1

djt is sending the cherubic alter boy "Little Marco" to the Vatican to kiss and make up with niceties of,.. magicarpet Sunday #2

The dynamics that caused this rift haven't changed one bit - equals - wasted trip. paleotn Sunday #4

The water boy is attempting to turn ice cubes into bullions of 24 carat gold. magicarpet Sunday #5

Stay home, lil Marco. It will make no difference. paleotn Sunday #3

Turn him and his taxpayer-money-wasting entourage away at the gate. NBachers Sunday #6

US Secretary of State is gonna be sitting on its ass for a long time in the waiting room dave99 Sunday #7

Rubio should be greeted at the Vatican charliea Sunday #8

I like the new American Pope but I couldn't care less what he and Rubio do or don't do. CTyankee Sunday #9

Give him a breathalyzer and tell him to sleep it off. FSogol Sunday #10

There is a war going on, Rubio maxsolomon 15 hrs ago #11

mahatmakanejeeves

(70,490 posts)

1. It's 'lights out' for Leo. NT

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sun May 3, 2026, 09:29 AM

Sunday

magicarpet

(19,198 posts)

2. djt is sending the cherubic alter boy "Little Marco" to the Vatican to kiss and make up with niceties of,..

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sun May 3, 2026, 10:09 AM

Sunday

.... of sweet breads and delicious candies to make amends. After trDUMP The Dotard and his repulsive running mate jdVance spit on the face of the Pope and smeared his best pastoral robes with their filthy shit for their personal entertainments and enjoyments.

Is this fence mendable,... or is this just a wasted trip to seek attrition or redemption for having grossly offended the Vatican and the Pope ? But difficult for anyone to look upon seriously, after one diplomatic faux par after another diplomatic faux par coming on a regular basis from Team trDUMP.

ALL,.. Any,... Every bit of respect the United States of America formally commanded on the world stage has been frivolous been expended and wasted. We are now looked upon as the country of greedy, gluttonous, avaricious, uneducated, idiots, and fools - who should be avoided and ignored at all costs. Left to rot and stew in our own putrid juices. Post the reelection of trDUMP we have indeed become the global pariah nation.

Thank you trDUMP-ISM,
Thank you MAGA-ISM,
Thank you Team trDUMP Blind Loyalists & Sycophants,
You have brought irreversible damage to the standings of America,
in the eyes of the entire world.

paleotn

(22,567 posts)

4. The dynamics that caused this rift haven't changed one bit - equals - wasted trip.

Reply to magicarpet (Reply #2)

Sun May 3, 2026, 10:14 AM

Sunday

Like the water boy could somehow come up with some kind of breakthrough.

magicarpet

(19,198 posts)

5. The water boy is attempting to turn ice cubes into bullions of 24 carat gold.

Reply to paleotn (Reply #4)

Sun May 3, 2026, 10:21 AM

Sunday

Good luck in this wasted venture and diplomatic folly.

paleotn

(22,567 posts)

3. Stay home, lil Marco. It will make no difference.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sun May 3, 2026, 10:10 AM

Sunday

The Pope won't soften. And Meloni isn't going to budge on use of Italian bases. Donnie will be left to twist in the Iranian breeze. He got himself into this mess. He can get himself out.