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By Jordan King
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President Donald Trump's local bishop in Florida criticized his "renewed attacks" against Pope Leo XIV, just hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the pontiff.
The Bishop of Palm Beach Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez wrote on X on Thursday: "The renewed attacks directed by President Trump against our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, are entirely inconsistent with the Pope’s longstanding witness to justice, peace, and the dignity of every human person."
It comes after Trump renewed his feud with the pope in a radio interview this week, saying that the pontiff was "endangering" Catholics with his opposition to the Iran war.
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"The pope would rather talk about the fact that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump told Hugh Hewitt, a conservative radio host. "I don't think that's very good."
Rodríguez referenced Trump's remarks in his post, saying: "Far from 'endangering Catholics,' Pope Leo continues to inspire the faithful throughout the world through his humility, compassion, and goodness of heart."
Pope Leo also responded to Trump's criticism, telling reporters: "If anyone wishes to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so with the truth. The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this, and I simply hope to be heard for the sake of the Word of God."
Marco Rubio Meets Pope Leo
Rubio arrived at the Vatican to meet the Pope for a closed-door meeting on Thursday morning.
The Vatican shared photos of Rubio and the Pope shaking hands and sitting across from one another during their meeting.
Rubio has downplayed the rift between the Pope and the Trump administration, saying on Tuesday: "The trip is really not tied to anything other than the fact that it would be normal for us to engage with them."
Who Is Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez?
Rodríguez is the sixth Bishop of Palm Beach, and was appointed by Pope Leo in December 2025. He officially succeeded Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito as head of the Diocese of Palm Beach in 2026.
Born in Moca, Dominican Republic, Rodríguez was ordained as a priest in 2004 and later joined the Diocese of Brooklyn, where he served largely Hispanic congregations in Queens and Brooklyn, according to the Diocese of Palm Beach. Rodríguez is known for his advocacy on immigration and social justice issues.
Rodríguez has previously criticized Trump's immigration rhetoric and policies, and has said he stood "firm" alongside Pope Leo against Trump's "attacks."
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Trump’s Feud With The Pope
Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, has strongly condemned the war in the Middle East and the "delusion of omnipotence" that caused it, saying it has led to "absurd and inhuman violence."
Last month, when Trump wrote on social media that "an entire civilization will die tonight" if Iran failed to meet a U.S. deadline, Leo responded: "This is truly unacceptable."
Trump later posted an attack on Truth Social, calling him "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy."
He added that the Pope should be "thankful," and that he was "only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump."
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