In the Vatican’s private library, Pope Leo XIV sat beside Secretary of State Marco Rubio to talk Middle‑East tensions, days after President Trump slammed the pope’s opposition to the U.S.‑Israeli war in Iran.

The meeting, photographed by Vatican Media, followed Trump’s claim that the pope was "endangering Catholics" and hinting that Iran could keep a nuclear weapon. Rubio refuted this, stressing the U.S. view that Iran should not possess such arms.

Rubio’s visit, which also included a trip to Rome to meet Italian leaders, underscores the Holy See’s growing influence on U.S. foreign policy and the pope’s role as a moral counterweight to Trump’s hard‑line stance. The dialogue signals a possible shift in how Washington engages with the Vatican on Middle‑East strategy.

The Vatican’s engagement may affect investor confidence in defense contractors and foreign‑policy‑linked stocks, as policy shifts could alter funding for U.S. military operations in the region.