President Donald Trump accused Pope Leo of “endangering” Catholics, just days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet the pontiff at the Vatican.

In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump repeated criticism of the head of the Catholic Church over what the U.S. President sees as his stance on Iran and the nuclear issue. "I think ⁠he's endangering a lot of Catholics and ‌a lot of people,” Trump said. “But I guess it's up to the Pope. He thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon." 

Pope Leo has not expressed support for Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, but has been a vocal critic of Trump’s war in Iran, which the President has framed as an effort to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Trump’s latest attack  comes ahead of Rubio’s planned visit to Italy later this week, where he is expected to meet with the Holy See to discuss various topics, including the conflict in the Middle East and broader security issues.

Rubio to have 'frank' discussions with Pope

The Vatican confirmed that Rubio will meet Pope Leo on May 7 at the Apostolic Palace, with the visit coinciding with the first anniversary of Leo’s papacy on May 8.

U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch said he expects the meeting to involve “frank” discussions.

"Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you work through those is (...) through fraternity and authentic dialogue," he said.

"I think the Secretary is coming here in that spirit," Burch told journalists. "To have a ⁠frank conversation about U.S. policy, to engage in dialogue.”

The Pope has been sharply critical of both the Iran war and the Administration’s broader policies, including immigration.

He has also called for dialogue in response to the continued U.S. blockade of Cuba, which has led to severe blackouts and fuel shortages in the Catholic-majority country.

Leo’s criticism has drawn repeated responses from Trump, who has accused the pontiff of being “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” after Leo called for a peaceful resolution to the Iran war.

Trump also posted—and later deleted following an outcry—an AI-generated image depicting himself in a Jesus-like form. Both his attacks and posts have sparked a backlash among Christians and conservatives.

Despite the criticism, Trump has continued to target Leo, who in turn responded by saying he has “no fear of the Trump Administration, or speaking ⁠out loudly."

"I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and ⁠multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems," Leo said.

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, was drawn into the dispute, arguing that “in some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality… and let the President stick to dictating American public policy.”

He later sought to soften his tone, saying that while “real disagreements have happened and will happen–the reality is often much more complicated.”

“Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day. The President — and the entire Administration — work to apply those moral principles in a messy world,” he said in mid-April.

Rubio’s upcoming visit will mark the first direct engagement between the Administration and the Pope since tensions escalated.

Both Rubio and Vance met Leo last year after attending his inaugural Mass.

Rubio is also expected to meet Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has defended the Pope and rebuked Trump’s comments.

Relations between Trump and Meloni – once a close ally – have also come under strain, after the President suggested he would withdraw U.S. troops from Italy and Spain following their refusal to support the war in Iran.