Trump administration appears to make threats against Vatican

A Vatican official has stated that pope Leo may refuse to visit the US whilst Donald Trump remains in office. The news comes alongside reports of a widening divide between the Catholic church and US.

Pope Leo became the first pope to be born in the US after his appointment in 2025. Since then, he has been a vocal critic of Trump’s vicious warmongering and immigration policies. In particular, both his January and Easter addresses called for peace and criticized warlike states.

In response, the Trump administration has reportedly told the church that it has the military power to do “whatever it wants”. Reports also allege that one US official made reference to the use of force against the papacy itself.

Trump administration ‘the church had better take its side’

On 6 April, the Free Press broke a story on an unprecedented meeting between the Pentagon and a senior Vatican official. The US ‘department of war’ reportedly called for a meeting with Vatican diplomat cardinal Christophe Pierre, having taken offense at the pope’s calls for peace during a January address.

Speaking to the Vatican’s diplomatic corps in the new year, the pope criticised states “completely undermining” world peace. Breaking from tradition by giving the speech in English, rather than Italian or French, he added that:

A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies.

In spite of Leo naming no individual countries, the Trump administration reportedly took this as a direct attack. In a first-of-a-kind occurrence, the Pentagon requested an audience with cardinal Pierre. Anonymous Vatican sources characterised the meeting as a:

bitter lecture warning that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants — and that the Church had better take its side.

Avignon Papacy

Further even than this, the Free Press stated that:

one U.S. official went so far as to invoke the Avignon Papacy, the period in the 1300s when the French Crown leveraged its military power to dominate the papal authority.

The Avignon Papacy is sometimes referred to as the ‘Babylonian Captivity’ within Catholic circles. Following military and political threats from king Philip VI of France, pope Clement V moved the seat of the church from Rome to Avignon. It remained there between the years 1309 and 1377.

During that period, all seven elected popes were French. Likewise, 111 of the 134 new cardinals were also French. Although the level of Philip’s direct influence over the papacy during the Avignon residence is still hotly debated, critics hold that it was a time of unprecedented hegemony for the French crown.

As such, the force of this threat from a US official to the Vatican can hardly be underestimated. However, the Pentagon has flatly denied the Free Press’ characterisation of events. Instead, it issued a statement holding that:

In light of grossly false and distorted recent reporting, the Department of War repeats its statement: Recent reporting of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted. 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.

This take on the meeting is belied directly by a senior Vatican official, who told the Free Press that, following the meeting:

The Pope may well never visit the United States under this administration.

The pope has reportedly refused an invite from Trump to join him for the US 4 July celebrations. Instead, he will visit the Italian island of Lampedusa, a common entry point into Europe for North African asylum seekers.

‘Light the signal fire in Iran’

Beyond this direct clash with Vatican envoys, the US  military has taken on increasingly apocalyptic evangelical Christian overtones under ‘secretary of war’ Pete Hegseth. The Washington Post described the situation:

Every month at the Pentagon, Hegseth hosts evangelical worship services that legal experts say are unprecedented. His social media profile and public comments routinely espouse his understanding of Christianity, which is one that would dominate American life and cast those who disagree with him as God’s enemies. He has brought clergy from his small Christian denomination to preach at the Pentagon, including a prominent pastor who says women shouldn’t have the right to vote.

By 4 March, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) had received over 200 complaints of increased sectarianism. One noncommissioned officer stated that their commander had:

urged us to tell our troops that this was ‘all part of God’s divine plan’ and he specifically referenced numerous citations out of the Book of Revelation referring to Armageddon and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. […]

He said that ‘President Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth’.

At a worship service held within the Pentagon on 25 March, Hegseth prayed for God to:

Give [US soldiers] wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. Preserve their lives, sharpen their resolve, and let justice be executed swiftly and without remorse that evil may be driven back and wicked souls delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them….We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, King over all kings and amen.

It’s hard to find something new to say in the face of such openly bloodthirsty rhetoric and actions. The US military is controlled by zealots who claim belief in waging a holy war. They’re spurred on by an apparently genuine desire to bring about the end of the earth.

These aren’t things that you’re trained to write about. There’s no reasoning with this cocktail of religious hatred, white supremacy, and naked greed. Not even direct condemnation from arguably the most senior Christian on earth has given them pause.

Featured image via the Canary