Senior Pentagon officials reportedly summoned Pope Leo XIV’s nuncio to a closed-door meeting in January 2026 amid growing tensions with the first American-born pope.
It is reported free press and Letters from LeoUndersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby and other officials confronted Cardinal Christophe Pierre after the pope’s “State of the World” address. In that speech, Pope Leo criticized “diplomacy based on force,” “imperialist occupation” and the pursuit of global dominance.
During the meeting, Colby and his colleagues allegedly told the cardinal that “the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church would be better off siding with the United States.”
The incident reportedly scuppered plans for the pope to visit the United States during the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Neither the Vatican nor the Trump administration has publicly responded to the reports, and HT.com has not independently verified the claims.
What did Pope Leo XIV say about the US-Iran conflict?
Pope Leo XIV has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of the Iran conflict. After initially calling for restraint and dialogue, he sharply stepped up his tone earlier this week.
Hours after U.S. President’s speech Donald Trump Pope warns ‘entire civilization will perish tonight’ and condemns threats against civilians Iran.
“As we all know, today the entire population of Iran is facing this threat, which is truly unacceptable,” the pope said.
While not naming Trump directly, the pope urged people to contact their political leaders and congressional representatives to “ask them and tell them to work for peace and reject war.”
“We are facing a global economic crisis, an energy crisis, (a) middle East “This situation is very volatile and will only fuel more hatred around the world,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
He added that the message to leaders should be: “Come back to the negotiating table, let us talk, let us find solutions in a peaceful way and let us remember especially the innocent children, the elderly, the sick and the many who have been or will become victims of this ongoing war.”
