Vatican–U.S. Relations

Pope Leo XIV has appointed veteran diplomat Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States, a posting described as meant to manage strained relations with President Trump. The move comes amid fallout from the pope’s early‑January, mostly‑English speech urging dialogue over U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran and warning that “war is back in vogue,” remarks that also included warnings of a potential “tragedy of enormous proportions” and an “irreparable abyss,” and which prompted a White House rebuttal over his criticism of U.S. immigration policy even as Trump praised the pope’s election and noted his strong 2024 Catholic support (59%).