The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, wrapped up a two-day visit to Rome on Friday, where he tried to ease tensions with the pope and urged Europeans to help in the Strait of Hormuz.
This task was not necessarily easy given recent harsh remarks by Donald Trump regarding both Louis XIV and Italian authorities. The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, is, however, a close ally of the American president.
“What is the world going to do about this? Will the world accept that Iran now controls an international waterway?” asked the Secretary of State, criticizing Tehran’s desire to create a special authority to approve passage through this strategic waterway.
The call targeted not only Italy but other European countries, criticized by Mr. Trump for not assisting the United States in protecting the strait.
“If one of the main reasons the United States is part of NATO is the ability to deploy forces in Europe that we may project to other emergency situations, and that is no longer the case, at least for some NATO members, then there is a problem and it must be examined,” said Mr. Rubio.
However, he added that the U.S. president had not yet decided on how to rebuke these countries.
Donald Trump threatened to withdraw American forces from Italy, stating that Rome “has not helped us at all” in the war against Iran.
Mr. Rubio met with Giorgia Meloni at the Chigi Palace for a discussion that lasted nearly an hour and a half, after meeting with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.
Earlier this week, during a visit to Armenia, Ms. Meloni had stated regarding the troop withdrawal plan: “It’s a decision that doesn’t depend on me and that I disagree with.”
The meeting was “certainly fruitful, constructive, and frank between the two nations,” stated the Italian Prime Minister to the press, mentioning that “many topics” were discussed, including bilateral relations, the Middle East crisis, freedom of navigation, Libya, Lebanon, and Ukraine.
“We both understand how important the transatlantic relationship is, but we also both understand how necessary it is for each to defend their national interests,” added the Italian Prime Minister.
Marco Rubio, a devout Catholic himself, stated on Friday that he had a “very good meeting” the day before with Pope Louis XIV at the Vatican, over a month after Donald Trump criticized the pope’s pacifist stance.
He said they discussed common interests, including religious freedom, the threat posed by Iran, and the role of the Catholic Church in delivering American humanitarian aid to Cuba.
“It’s important to share our perspectives, provide explanations, and understand where we come from. And I found that very positive,” he added, downplaying the American president’s criticisms.
Marco Rubio’s visit follows sharp criticism by the American president in mid-April against Louis XIV, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
He had labeled the pope as “weak” in the face of crime and “worthless” in foreign policy after Louis XIV made critical comments about the war in the Middle East.
Marco Rubio also met with Vatican Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin.
“I informed them about the situation with Iran, expressed our view on the importance of this issue, and the danger Iran poses to the world,” he detailed, as the Pope declared his opposition to war.
When asked if President Trump would call the American pope, he responded: “I don’t know. Maybe. It could happen.”
Marco Rubio, born to Cuban parents, also expressed being “honored” to have been presented with his Italian genealogical tree on Friday, which reflects his family history tied to the Piedmont region. He promised to learn Italian and return to the country to deliver a speech in the local language.
