MILAN (RNS) — Amid a growing public rift between Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump — arguably the two most influential American-born figures in the world — Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican on Thursday (May 7), seeking to highlight common ground between the Holy See and the Trump administration.

Rubio’s meeting with Vatican officials lasted roughly two and a half hours and focused on “the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity,” read a statement by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See on X.

Met with @Pontifex to underscore our shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.…