As Marco Rubio Meets Pope, Is He White House's Peacemaker Tasked With Managing Trump’s Chaos

Last Updated:May 07, 2026, 18:05 IST

Marco Rubio visits the Vatican to ease tensions between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV. He has repeatedly been seen balancing US foreign policy, NATO disputes, and Arctic ambitions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday reached the Vatican to meet the Pope. However, this meeting is significant as in past several weeks President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Pope Leo XIV while calling him “weak" over latter’s opposition to war on Iran.

However, this is not the first time Rubio has to play the role of a peacemaker. One-time presidential rival to Trump who once said he couldn’t be trusted, Rubio has now become one of the most powerful figure in the current administration.

Amid US-Greenland Tensions

In January, President Donald Trump sparked row after expressing his intension to take control of Greenland. As tensions intensified, Marco Rubio met foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland.

The talks were an attempt to balance Trump’s push for a larger American footprint on the strategically located Arctic territory with Denmark and Greenland’s insistence that their “red lines" on sovereignty remain intact.

Rubio’s Role As Trump Criticised NATO Allies

In March, President Trump criticised NATO allies for failing to step up in the war against Iran and said the alliance had “done absolutely nothing" to assist the United States and Israel.

Amid rising tensions between US-NATO, the State Secretary once again stepped in to act as a peacemaker during his visit to attend the G7 summit in France.

Asked by reporters about what reception he expected from other leaders, Rubio said: “I’m not there to make them happy. I get along with all of them on a personal level, and we work with those governments very carefully, but the people I’m interested in making happy are the people of the United States."

“That’s who I work for. I don’t work for France or Germany or Japan. These are all good people. We’re going to have great meetings," he added.

Amid Tensions Between Trump And Pope

Ahead of Rubio’s visit to the Vatican, US President Donald Trump reignited his feud with Pope Leo XIV, accusing him of “endangering a lot of Catholics".

The remarks came two days before Rubio’s scheduled visit to Rome and the Vatican in an effort to ease tensions sparked by Trump’s previous remarks against the Chicago-born pontiff over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

While Rubio haas emphasized that his visit to the Vatican is focused on discussing issues such as humanitarian aid to Cuba and persecution of Christians.

“No matter what the administration says, this is absolutely a reset effort and there’s no mistake that Rubio was the one they sent," USA Today quoted “Letters from Leo" publisher and former Obama Catholic outreach director Christopher Hale.

TW Arrighi, a GOP consultant and a former press secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Rubio is “tactful," good at reading a room and also “plays really well with others".

“The President recognises when people make him look good and Rubio consistently makes him look good," he said.w

News world As Marco Rubio Meets Pope, Is He White House's Peacemaker Tasked With Managing Trump’s Chaos

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