US Secretary of State Marco Rubio conducted a conciliatory visit to the Vatican on Thursday, meeting with Pope Leo XIV in an effort to mend relations strained by President Donald Trump’s public criticisms of the pontiff regarding the Iran war. The meeting, described as "friendly and constructive" by a State Department official, aimed to reaffirm the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See. Discussions covered mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere, the Catholic Church's work in Cuba, and religious freedom. The visit follows Trump's accusations that Pope Leo was "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" after the Pope's critical comments on the Middle East conflict, creating a public spat that risked alienating Catholic voters.