Marco Rubio lashed out at a journalist after they asked him if he will tell Donald Trump to stop attacking Pope Leo XIV. On Thursday (7 May), the secretary of state met with the Catholic leader, the first American pope, following weeks of attacks from the president and growing tensions between the US and the Vatican over the Iran war. Following the meeting at the Apostolic Palace, Mr Rubio was questioned by a reporter on whether he would advise Mr Trump to cease the social media attacks. “Why would I tell you what I'm gonna recommend to the president?,” he fired back. “The president will always speak clearly about how he feels about the US and US policy.”