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Pope Leo XIV is the first American to head the Catholic Church. He doesn't share too much with the current US government.
KEYSTONE
A representative of the Pentagon is said to have warned the Vatican about the military power of the USA. The Pope does not comment on the meeting, but cancels his participation in the 250th anniversary celebrations of US independence.
Which government has the Trump administration not yet clashed with? There are few who have not yet incurred the president's wrath. And appeasing and flattering the US President has become a recurring government business for some.
The Vatican seems to be somewhat immune to the rhetoric or concrete measures of the US government. Trump and his ministers appear to be more Christian than previous administrations.
However, Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, has repeatedly let it be known that he does not agree with the president of his country of origin. He has criticized immigration policy, warned against breaking the transatlantic alliance and most recently described Trump's threat to wipe out Iranian civilization as "truly unacceptable".
Pope Leo calls Trump's threat against Iran 'truly unacceptable' reut.rs/4vfUJXV
— Reuters (@reuters.com) 8. April 2026 um 01:50
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The Pope must have been particularly annoyed by statements that the US army was fighting in Iran with God's blessing. He countered this claim in his Palm Sunday message, in which he said that God does not listen to the prayers of the belligerents, and followed this up with a Bible verse from the Old Testament: "No matter how much you pray, I do not listen. Your hands are full of blood."
A report in the US newspaper "The Free Press" has now made public a meeting between the US Undersecretary of Defense, Elbridge Colby, and the papal envoy to the USA, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, which took place in January.
The martial rhetoric, a trademark of the Pentagon under "Secretary of War" Pete Hegseth, is also said to have been used in this conversation. According to an anonymous insider, Colby told Pierre at one point in the conversation that the USA was the strongest military power in the world and could do whatever it wanted. The Vatican would do well to stand by their side."
Colby is also said to have reminded the pontiff of the Avignon papacy. This refers to the period in the 14th century when the French royal court continually expanded its influence on the Church until a Frenchman was finally elected pope, who moved the court to Avignon.
The cardinal's reaction to these statements is not known. What is known, however, is that the Pope has canceled his planned participation in the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. He is now planning to visit the Italian island of Lampedusa on July 4, where thousands of refugees have been arriving for years and hoping to continue their journey in camps. A subtle nod to the values represented by Pope Leo XIV.
"The Free Press" also quotes an insider as saying that Pope Leo XIV will not visit the USA as long as Trump is president. There is no official confirmation of this from the Vatican.
Vice President Vance, another particularly pious member of the Trump administration, was asked in Hungary about the Pentagon's rumored power play with the Vatican after attending an election rally for Hungarian President Viktor Orban. At first he said he did not know who Cardinal Christophe Pierre was. Then he remembered and finally said that he did not comment on unconfirmed reports.
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Unlike the majority of US Christians, Vance is a Catholic and is considered an opponent of US military interventions. He does not agree with his government colleagues' praise of American successes in Iran. He also refers to his faith, saying: "I think my attitude to military conflicts has always been that I pray that we are on God's side," as reported by the Washington Post.
JD Vance is now leading the US delegation in the negotiations between Iran and the USA.
In the meantime, the Pentagon has informed X that it considers the portrayal by "The Free Press" to be greatly exaggerated. The meeting between Elbridge Colby and Cardinal Christophe Pierre was substantive, respectful and professional.
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