Trending Now - Rubio Seeks Diplomatic Balance With Pope After Trump’s Iran Remarks

WHO:

AP News - Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated, “We cannot ignore the United States. Despite some difficulties, they certainly remain a key partner for the Holy See, not least because they play a role in almost every situation we face today.”

AP News - Cardinal Pietro Parolin criticized Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV, stating, “Attacking him like that or criticizing what he does seems a bit strange to me, to say the least.”

AP News - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch upon his arrival at Rome’s Ciampino airport.

AP News - Cardinal Pietro Parolin criticized Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV, stating, “Attacking him like that or criticizing what he does seems a bit strange to me, to say the least.”

NBC News - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is involved in the diplomatic visit.

AP News - Pope Leo XIV is the first American pontiff and is involved in the ongoing tensions with Trump.

AP News - Cardinal Pietro Parolin is the Vatican secretary of state who defended Pope Leo XIV.

AP News - Trump is the President of the United States and has made critical remarks about Pope Leo XIV.

WHAT:

USA Today - Rubio sanctioned Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture that mines and sells Cuba's nickel, and its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera.

USA Today - Rubio stated that additional sanctions against Cuba are expected in the near future.

USA Today - Rubio sanctioned Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture that mines and sells Cuba's nickel.

USA Today - Rubio stated that additional sanctions against Cuba are expected in the near future.

USA Today - Rubio announced sanctions against Cuba's military regime, targeting a military-run economic group, GAESA, and its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera.

USA Today - Rubio indicated that additional sanctions against Cuba are expected in the near future.

USA Today - The sanctions are part of the Trump Administration’s campaign to address national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime.

USA Today - Trump signed an executive order on May 1, 2026, imposing new sanctions on individuals and entities that support Cuba's government.

USA Today - Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions against Cuba's military regime and elites, targeting a military-run economic group, GAESA, and its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera.

USA Today - Rubio indicated that additional sanctions against Cuba are expected in the near future.

USA Today - The sanctions are part of the Trump Administration’s campaign to address national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable those who support it.

USA Today - Trump signed an executive order on May 1, 2026, imposing new sanctions on individuals and entities that support Cuba's government and security apparatus.

NBC News - Rubio's audience with Pope Leo XIV was complicated at the last minute by Trump's latest criticism of the pope.

NBC News - Trump lashed out at Leo on social media last month, saying the pope was soft on crime and terrorism for comments about the administration’s immigration policies and deportations as well as the Iran war.

NBC News - Leo stated, “God doesn’t listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”

NBC News - Trump posted a social media image appearing to liken himself to Jesus Christ, which was deleted after a backlash.

NBC News - Rubio stated, “I cannot understand why anyone would think that it’s a good idea for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon.”

NBC News - Leo emphasized that the Catholic Church has always permitted countries to act in self-defense and acknowledged the church’s “just war” tradition.

NBC News - Leo noted, “the whole concept of war has to be reevaluated in terms today.”

AP News - Rubio stated that Trump’s criticisms of Leo were rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians.

AP News - Leo emphasized that the Catholic Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years and that he is merely preaching the biblical message of peace.

AP News - Leo stated, “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.”

AP News - Rubio mentioned that the Holy See is particularly concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

AP News - Rubio stated, “obviously we had some stuff that happened,” referring to the complications arising from Trump’s criticisms of the pope.

AP News - Rubio stated that Trump’s recent criticisms of Leo were rooted in his opposition to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used against millions of Catholics and other Christians.

AP News - Leo has never said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons and emphasized that the Catholic Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years.

AP News - Leo noted that the Catholic Church acknowledges the right of countries to act in self-defense and has a "just war" tradition, but believes the concept of war must be reevaluated in the context of nuclear weapons.

AP News - Rubio mentioned that topics other than the Iran war were on the agenda for the Vatican visit, including Cuba, where the Holy See is concerned about potential military action following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

NBC News - Rubio was set to meet with Pope Leo at the Vatican following Trump's criticism of the pope.

AP News - Rubio's visit is described as a "fence-mending" effort to ease tensions after Trump's remarks about the Iran war.

AP News - Rubio has meetings scheduled with Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

AP News - Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV for being soft on crime and terrorism and for his comments on immigration policies and the Iran war.

WHERE:

AP News - Rubio's audience with Pope Leo XIV was scheduled at the Vatican.

NBC News - The meeting is taking place at the Vatican.

AP News - Rubio arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport for a two-day visit to Italy and the Vatican.

WHEN:

USA Today - Rubio's meetings with Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani are scheduled for Friday, May 8, 2026.

AP News - Rubio's audience with Pope Leo XIV was scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2026.

NBC News - Rubio's audience with Pope Leo was scheduled for Thursday.

AP News - The meetings with Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani are scheduled for Friday.

AP News - The swearing-in ceremony for 28 new Pontifical Swiss Guards occurred on May 6, 2026.

WHY:

USA Today - The sanctions are part of the Trump Administration’s campaign to address national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable those who support it.

AP News - The Vatican is particularly concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

USA Today - The sanctions aim to weaken the Cuban regime and force it to make economic and political changes that would make Havana more reliant on the U.S.

NBC News - The Vatican is particularly concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

AP News - Cardinal Parolin stated, “We cannot ignore the United States. Despite some difficulties, they certainly remain a key partner for the Holy See, not least because they play a role in almost every situation we face today.”

AP News - The Vatican is particularly concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

AP News - The Vatican is concerned about the Trump administration’s threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

AP News - Rubio's visit was described as a high-level, direct intervention to address the situation created by Trump's remarks, requiring a "semantic corrective to a narrative of frontal conflict with the church."

AP News - The visit was prompted by Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV, which angered the Holy See and sparked tensions.

AP News - Cardinal Parolin stated that Washington requested Rubio’s audience to maintain dialogue with the Holy See.

HOW:

USA Today - Rubio stated, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

AP News - Rubio stated, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

USA Today - Rubio stated, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

NBC News - Rubio stated, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

AP News - Rubio insisted that the visit had been in the works for a while but acknowledged, “obviously we had some stuff that happened.”

AP News - Rubio mentioned that $6 million of humanitarian aid was given to Cuba, which was distributed through the church due to restrictions on direct distribution.

AP News - Rubio stated, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

AP News - Rubio's visit was described as a high-level, direct intervention to address the situation created by Trump's remarks.

AP News - Rubio insisted that the visit had been planned for a while, despite the recent tensions.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 11:19 UTC)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin emphasized the importance of the United States as a key partner for the Holy See, despite some challenges, highlighting their role in nearly every situation faced today. In related news, Rubio has sanctioned Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture involved in Cuba's nickel trade, along with its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, and he indicated that more sanctions against Cuba are anticipated soon. Rubio also noted that while $6 million in humanitarian aid was provided to Cuba, distribution has been hindered by the regime, leading to efforts to channel assistance through the church instead.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 09:19 UTC)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin criticized Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV, saying that such criticism seems a bit strange to him. In related news, Rubio has sanctioned Moa Nickel SA, a joint venture involved in Cuba's nickel trade, and he indicated that more sanctions against Cuba are expected soon. Rubio's meetings with Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani are set for Friday, May 8, 2026, as the Vatican expresses concern over the Trump administration's military threats in Cuba following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 07:21 UTC)

President Trump has signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Cuba's military regime, specifically targeting the military-run economic group GAESA and its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera. Senator Rubio announced that these measures are part of the Trump Administration's efforts to address national security threats posed by Cuba's communist government, with additional sanctions expected soon. Rubio emphasized the challenges in delivering humanitarian aid, stating that while they provided $6 million, the Cuban government obstructed distribution, forcing them to rely on church organizations instead.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 05:43 UTC)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced new sanctions against Cuba's military regime, specifically targeting the military-run economic group GAESA and its leader, Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera. These sanctions are part of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to address national security threats posed by Cuba's communist regime, with additional sanctions expected in the near future. Trump previously signed an executive order on May 1, 2026, aimed at imposing restrictions on individuals and entities that support Cuba's government and security apparatus, all with the goal of weakening the regime and encouraging economic and political changes.

(UPDATED May 8, 2026 01:31 UTC)

In a recent development, Rubio's audience with Pope Leo XIV faced complications due to Trump's latest criticism of the pontiff, who had previously commented on the administration's immigration policies and military actions. Trump had lashed out at Leo on social media, claiming the pope was soft on crime and terrorism, and even posted an image likening himself to Jesus Christ, which he later deleted amid backlash. Meanwhile, Leo emphasized the need to reevaluate the concept of war today and acknowledged the church’s tradition of just war, while Rubio expressed frustration over Cuba's refusal to allow the distribution of humanitarian aid, which they have been trying to deliver through the church.

(UPDATED May 7, 2026 19:29 UTC)

Rubio stated that Trump’s criticisms of Leo stem from his concerns about Iran potentially acquiring a nuclear weapon, which he believes could threaten millions of Catholics and other Christians. In response, Leo emphasized that the Catholic Church has long opposed all nuclear weapons and is simply sharing the biblical message of peace, asserting, “If someone wants to criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth.” Meanwhile, Cardinal Parolin noted the importance of the United States as a key partner for the Holy See, despite some challenges, highlighting their role in nearly every situation the Church faces today.

(UPDATED May 7, 2026 17:30 UTC)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport, where he met with U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch. During his visit, Rubio acknowledged the complications arising from Trump’s criticisms of the pope and noted that his audience with Pope Leo XIV is set for Thursday, May 7, 2026. He also highlighted that $6 million in humanitarian aid has been sent to Cuba, distributed through the church due to restrictions on direct distribution, amid concerns over potential military action in Cuba following the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

(UPDATED May 7, 2026 15:43 UTC)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin has expressed his disapproval of Trump’s recent criticisms of Pope Leo XIV, calling such attacks "a bit strange." Senator Marco Rubio acknowledged the complications stemming from Trump's remarks and highlighted that $6 million in humanitarian aid was sent to Cuba, which was distributed through the church due to restrictions on direct distribution. The Vatican is particularly concerned about the Trump administration's threats of potential military action in Cuba following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

(UPDATED May 7, 2026 13:29 UTC)

Rubio has clarified that Trump’s recent criticisms of Leo stem from concerns about Iran potentially acquiring nuclear weapons, which he argues could threaten millions of Catholics and other Christians. In response, Leo emphasized that he has never advocated for Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and highlighted the Catholic Church's longstanding opposition to all nuclear arms, while also acknowledging the need to reevaluate the concept of war in light of such weapons. During Rubio's visit, he addressed various topics, including the situation in Cuba, where he noted the challenges of distributing humanitarian aid, stating, “We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously they won’t let us distribute it. We distributed it through the church. We’d like to do more.”

(UPDATED May 7, 2026 11:37 UTC)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently in Rome for a two-day diplomatic visit, which includes a scheduled audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday. This meeting comes in the wake of critical remarks made by President Trump regarding the Pope's stance on issues like crime, terrorism, and immigration, prompting what has been described as a "fence-mending" effort to ease tensions. Rubio is also set to meet with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday, as the Vatican seeks to maintain dialogue following the recent criticisms from Washington.