Secretary of State Visits Vatican

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo XIV on Thursday at the Vatican, the highest-ranking U.S. official to do so since the pope became a target of criticism from the Trump administration. The trip aims to smooth over tensions that have not played well with the American public, according to one report.

Rubio's visit occurs against the backdrop of the administration's feud with the Holy See. Rubio stood in for the White House spokesperson at Tuesday's press briefing, delivering a nearly hour-long performance that drew positive reviews on the political right.

During the session he fielded questions on the war with Iran, rising gas prices and other topics while shifting between English and Spanish and incorporating humor. The appearance led to online chatter about Rubio's prospects as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.

Social media users noted his calm demeanor and suggested he might be positioning himself apart from Vice President JD Vance, who is also seen as a possible successor to President Donald Trump.

Rubio has taken on multiple roles in the administration over the past year, including acting national security adviser, acting archivist of the U.S. and acting director of the U.S. Agency for International Development. A former Trump critic, he has built a reputation for versatility.

On Wednesday he posted a video clip from his official State Department account featuring images of himself, Trump and former President Ronald Reagan. The clip used audio from Rubio's Tuesday response to a question about his hope for America. >"My hope for America is what it's always been.

I think it's the hope I hope we all share. We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. Where you're not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity. " — Secretary of State, May 2026 (CNBC) The White House shared its own video of the same remarks.