Pentagon Threatened the Pope After He Criticized Trump

Key Points:

• In January, Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby delivered a harsh message to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s U.S. representative, asserting that the U.S. military has the power to act globally and that the Catholic Church should align with the U.S. stance.
• The tension stemmed from Pope Leo XIV’s State of the World speech criticizing militaristic diplomacy and war, which was interpreted by Trump administration officials as a direct rebuke of U.S. foreign policy.
• The Pentagon’s reference to the historical Avignon papacy was perceived by the Vatican as a veiled threat of military coercion, leading Pope Leo to cancel his planned U.S. visit and reject an invitation to the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
• Instead of visiting the U.S., Pope Leo plans to visit Lampedusa on July 4, a symbolic location for immigrants, signaling a divergence from the White House’s expectations.
• The White House has denied the report’s characterization of the meeting, describing the interaction as respectful and emphasizing a willingness to maintain dialogue with the Holy See.