What Reported US Threat to Pope and Vatican Means [View all]
Apr 09, 2026 at 09:53 AM EDT
Apr 09, 2026 at 11:10 AM EDT
One Pentagon official’s reported reference to an “Avignon papacy” has widely been interpreted as a direct threat by Donald Trump's administration against the Vatican and Pope Leo XIV, who has been critical of the U.S. president and the Iran war.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said he would look into the reports that senior Pentagon officials lectured the Vatican's ambassador, leading to the cancellation of a planned visit by Pope Leo XIV.
Vance, speaking in Hungary, was asked about reports first shared by The Free Press that said Cardinal Christophe Pierre was told in January that the Vatican and the Catholic Church should get on board with the Trump administration's military tactics ...
https://www.newsweek.com/avignon-papacy-explained-what-reported-us-threat-to-pope-and-vatican-means-11803877
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