Pope Leo Shuts Down 'Completely Untrue' Reports About Meeting With Trump Officials

The first-ever American pope is clearing the air amid reports that Trump administration officials sought to exert undue influence over the Vatican earlier this year regarding ongoing military action in Iran.

A statement released through the Holy See this week referenced claims that Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who was the Vatican’s US ambassador at the time, had a tense meeting on the topic in January.

Here’s the Vatican’s response, per the Daily Caller:

Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni confirmed that a meeting between Pierre and Colby had taken place, but said it was merely “part of the regular mission of the Papal Representative and provided the opportunity for an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest,” according to a translation of the statement.

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“The narrative offered by some media outlets regarding this meeting is completely untrue,” the statement continued.

Christopher Hale, a Democratic National Convention delegate and writer of Letters from Leo, claimed Wednesday that he could “independently confirm The Free Press report that the meeting took place — and that some Vatican officials were so alarmed by the Pentagon’s tactics that they shelved plans for Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States later this year.”

He also alleged that other Vatican officials saw “the Pentagon’s reference to an Avignon papacy as a threat to use military force against the Holy See.”

“Five news outlets have independently confirmed the Free Press’s report that the meeting was contentious, and our sources say the same,” Hale told the Caller, sharing a list of those accounts. “Our sources also corroborate what CBS News and Financial Times noted about the Avignon papacy being raised during the discussion.”

Of course, this wasn’t the first incident that supported a belief that the pope does not support the Trump administration’s military action:

Left: Christian faith leaders praying with President Trump

Right: Pope Leo on Palm Sunday, "Jesus does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, he rejects then, saying: Even though you make many prayers I will not listen, your hands are full of blood" pic.twitter.com/Zc0IPxJLaZ

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) March 29, 2026

Karoline Leavitt FIRES BACK at woke Pope Leo’s underhanded swipe at the Trump administration for invoking God during the Iran conflict.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with our military leaders or with the president calling on the American people to pray for our service… pic.twitter.com/xCNA3ihzpb

— Overton (@overton_news) March 30, 2026

Here’s some coverage of the latest allegations addressed by the Holy See’s statement:

BREAKING: A “Vatican source close to Pope Leo XIV” tells NBC Chicago that the Pentagon meeting between Trump officials and the Vatican’s top American diplomat “was most unpleasant and confrontational.”

This is now the fourth news outlet to describe the meeting in this way. pic.twitter.com/ZEMcefBkQT

— Christopher Hale (@ChristopherHale) April 9, 2026

The Pentagon also pushed back against those earlier reports, as Military.com reported:

“The Free Press’ characterization of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted,” a U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson told Military.com on Thursday. “The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion. We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See.”

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly did not directly remark on the reports and claims therein, instead touting the Trump administration’s accomplishments.

“All of President Trump’s foreign policy actions have made the world safer, more stable, and more prosperous,” Kelly told Military.com. “Catholic Americans resoundingly supported President Trump in 2024, and the president’s administration has a positive relationship with the Vatican—which was strengthened when Vice President [JD] Vance attended Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass last year.

Here’s how The Hill reported on the allegations earlier this week: