US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, in a bid to ease tensions between the White House and the Vatican. The meeting comes after President Trump's extraordinary criticism of the pope over his anti-war stance, including comments on nuclear weapons.

The US Secretary of State's visit follows a deterioration in relations between the Trump administration and the Holy See, despite initial celebrations over the election of the first US pope in history.

Rubio, a devout Catholic, has sought to play down the rift ahead of the private audience, which was followed by talks with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

The Vatican has stated that it will listen to Rubio's concerns, with Parolin noting that Washington initiated the meeting. The immediate outlook is that the Vatican and the US will continue discussions on key issues, including religious freedom and international conflicts, with the next steps expected to be announced in the coming days.