U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Italy and the Vatican next week, May 7-8, amid a noticeable escalation in relations between Washington, Rome, and the Holy See. The visit comes after public disagreements related to U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of the Pope and the Italian government.
According to Corriere della Sera, the trip is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. In the Vatican, Rubio is expected to meet with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, after which he will head to Rome.
In the Italian capital, he plans to hold talks with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. Rubio has also requested a meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, although its occurrence has not yet been confirmed.
The diplomatic visit comes amid rising tensions in relations between the U.S. and Italy. Disagreements intensified after Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV's calls for an end to the conflict in the Middle East, which provoked a sharp reaction from Meloni.
In response, Trump accused the Italian Prime Minister of having a weak position and suggested a review of the American military presence in Italy, stating that the country "did not help at all" in the conflict with Iran.
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