US Secretary Marco Rubio met Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday to discuss diplomacy and address President Trump's recent criticism of the Pope.

The meeting came after weeks of Trump's attacks on Pope Leo over his criticism of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Trump accused the Pope of putting Catholics in danger and falsely claimed the Pope supports Iran having nuclear weapons.

Pope Leo denied this, stating the Catholic Church opposes nuclear arms and seeks peace.

Pope Leo emphasized the importance of dialogue over supporting the arms industry, which makes billions of dollars annually.

Despite the facts, Trump repeated his accusations on TV, saying the Pope seemed to support Iran having nuclear weapons, which Trump opposes.

The US Secretary of State met Pope Leo at the Vatican amid tensions with Trump.

Trump's attacks on Pope Leo left Secretary Rubio with the task of downplaying the situation as normal diplomacy.

Rubio said the trip was planned earlier and there were many topics to discuss with the Vatican.

Rubio's discussion topics included religious freedom, the Catholic Church's growth in Africa, and humanitarian aid to Cuba.

A Vatican commentator found it challenging to identify significant issues where the Vatican and Trump's administration could cooperate.

The commentator questioned the Trump administration's definition of religious freedom, finding it too narrow.

The main challenge for the Vatican is the current US administration's lack of a clear foreign policy.

The Vatican is difficult for Trump to bully, as it doesn't sell indulgences and is protected by Italy.

The commentator joked that Trump couldn't impose tariffs or send in the Marines, as the Vatican is in Italy.

After the meeting, the State Department said Rubio and Pope Leo discussed the Middle East and their commitment to peace and human dignity.

The commentator noted that only a few areas of cooperation remain between the US and the Vatican.

Rubio highlighted the US providing $6 million in humanitarian aid to Cuba through the Church as an example of cooperation.

The meeting between Rubio and Pope Leo also had domestic political implications.

Trump is engaged in a war of words with the Pope.

The US midterm elections are approaching, and the White House wants to avoid alienating conservative Catholic voters.

Rubio is set to meet the Italian Prime Minister, who recently criticized Trump's comments on the Pope.

The Italian Prime Minister called Trump's comments unacceptable, which triggered Trump's anger.

Trump expressed disappointment in the Italian Prime Minister, saying he thought she had courage but was wrong.

Rubio's task now is to try to win back the support of the Italian Prime Minister, a former Trump enthusiast.