Just hours after the start of a fragile truce between the United States and Iran, a new source of tension emerged related to President Donald Trump, this time involving the Vatican. This came after criticism from Pope Leo XIV of President Trump's military policy and various reports pointing to possible pressure from the Pentagon on the Holy See. Although Washington denies any confrontation, recent events and statements have raised alarms in political, religious, and diplomatic circles. According to reports cited by international media, during a meeting between Pentagon officials and Vatican representatives, a senior official expressed himself arrogantly, stating that “The United States has the military power to do whatever it wants… the Church should be on its side.” These words were interpreted by some sectors as a direct warning—or even pressure—towards the Vatican, especially after the Pope criticized the war. However, the Pentagon rejected the version, ensuring that the meeting—which did take place—was “respectful” and described the journalistic reports as “exaggerated and distorted.” The Pope's Criticism. The trigger for the tension, apparently, was that Pope Leo XIV launched unusually direct criticisms days ago against U.S. foreign policy, especially regarding the conflict in the Middle East. Without mincing words, the pontiff described threats to destroy countries as “unacceptable” and warned that attacking civilian infrastructure violates international law. He even called on citizens and legislators to pressure to stop the war, telling them, “We don't want war, we want peace.” This type of stance breaks with the traditional diplomatic neutrality of the Vatican, which, while making calls for peace or reconciliation, rarely points directly to political leaders. Does Trump have a new enemy? While the Vatican is a sovereign state with political and religious autonomy, and the Pope does not report to foreign governments, it is not expected that the situation will escalate for now. It should be recalled that the United States maintains a historical relationship with the Holy See, based on diplomacy, global influence, and political dialogue. In that context, indirect pressures can exist, especially when strategic interests are at play, causing a possible structural tension between political power and moral authority. In fact, one of the clearest signs of the deterioration in bilateral relations is that the Vatican would have considered canceling or postponing a visit from the Pope to the United States, scheduled as part of the country's anniversary. Additionally, reports indicate that Vatican officials interpreted the meeting with the Pentagon as a moment of high tension, which evidences the distancing, or at least a diplomatic friction.
