Marco Rubio is busy. Last week, the Secretary of State visited Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on a diplomatic mission to ease tensions between the United States, the Vatican, and Italy.

Rubio began his Italian trip with meetings with the Holy Father, Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin, and Archbishop Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. The Holy See described the meetings as cordial, and they covered “situations on the regional and international levels, with particular attention given to countries experiencing war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations as well as the need to work tirelessly for peace.”

In a press conference after the meetings, Rubio struck an optimistic tone. “We had a very good meeting,” he said. “We talked about those areas we’re working together on in different parts of the world.” One of those areas was the situation between Christians and Muslims in Africa. “The Pope just returned from Africa,” Rubio said, “a very important continent with growing Christian populations, many of whom are threatened or feel threatened by the spread of radical Islamic terrorism.”

Iran

Much of the intrigue surrounding the visit was focused on Iran. Just days before Rubio arrived in Rome, President Trump repeated the claim that the Holy Father was okay with Iran having a nuclear weapon. The Holy Father responded to the criticism saying, “The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to preach peace… If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully.”

During the talks in Rome, Rubio said he updated the Vatican on the situation in Iran and outlined why Iran poses a threat to the world. When asked by reporters if he will ask President Trump to stop criticizing the Holy Father, Rubio responded saying, “the president will always Speak clearly about how he feels about the U.S. and U.S. policy.” He noted, however, that the U.S. and the Vatican can have a “productive, fruitful, and important relationship.”

Meloni

In his talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Rubio affirmed his support for NATO, calling himself a “strong supporter.” However, he called  Spain’s refusal to let U.S. planes use their bases a “problem.” According to Politico, Italy also denied the U.S. use of its bases.