Secretary of State Marco Rubio has affirmed the United States' capacity for a productive relationship with the Catholic Church, despite ongoing tensions stemming from President Donald Trump's repeated criticisms of Pope Leo.
Following a Vatican visit, Rubio told reporters in Rome on Friday that his meeting was "very positive." Addressing questions about Trump's public remarks concerning Pope Leo's comments on the Iran war and other matters, Rubio stated that the president acts in the best interest of the U.S. and "will always speak clearly about how he feels about the U.S. and U.S. policy." He added, "I think we can do that and continue to also have a very productive and fruitful and important relationship with the church, because it plays an important role in the world as well."
A celebratory moment between Rubio and the American-born pope quickly became awkward Thursday when the Pontiff seemed at a loss for words. While standing in the pontiff's private library overlooking St. Peter's Basilica, the pair engaged in the time-honored diplomatic tradition of swapping gifts.
Leo presented Rubio with an olive branch encased in wood and emblazoned with the pontificate's coat of arms, describing it as "the plant of peace." It seemed to be a not-so-subtle nod to his rift with President Donald Trump over the Iran war. When it was his turn, the secretary of state handed the Bishop of Rome something a touch more whimsical: a palm-sized crystal football.
With Cuba currently facing an energy crisis due to U.S. blocks on most oil shipments, Rubio indicated Washington is prepared to offer additional humanitarian aid. The U.S. recently imposed sanctions on a Cuban military-controlled conglomerate and a mining joint venture, aiming to pressure the island's communist leadership toward reforms. Rubio noted the U.S. has already provided $6 million in humanitarian assistance to Cubans via the Church and had offered $100 million, which it declined to distribute.
