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May 8, 2026
Rubio Meets Meloni to Address Escalating U.S.-Italy Tensions Amid Trump-Pope Clash
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to address escalating tensions related to the Iran war and Trump's comments about Pope Leo.
- Meloni's previous support for Trump is strained due to public opposition in Italy regarding the conflict and Trump's attacks on the Pope.
- Rubio's visit follows his talks with the Vatican, aiming to mend relations and discuss NATO coordination, migration, and trade.
3 Sources
- Rubio Meets Meloni as U.S.-Italy Relations Strained and Trump’s Attacks on PopeMay 8, 2026 at 9:45 AM · NYT
- Meloni meets Rubio as Iran war strains Italy-US tiesMay 8, 2026 at 10:23 AM · Reuters
- Rubio meets Meloni as Trump–Pope clash clash escalates US strains with key European allyMay 8, 2026 at 11:16 AM · Fox News