Pope Leo picks new Vatican ambassador to US as Trump tensions mount over policies

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People Leo XIV connected Saturday announced the assignment of the Vatican’s caller ambassador, Apostolic Nuncio, to the U.S. to assistance negociate strained relations with the Trump administration.

Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, 68, a seasoned Vatican diplomat who is presently ambassador to the United Nations, antecedently served arsenic ambassador to the Philippines and Lebanon.

Caccia is replacing 80-year-old Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who is retiring.

"I person this ngo with some joyousness and a consciousness of trepidation," Caccia said aft the appointment, according to the Vatican News. He added that his ngo was "at the work of communion and peace," remembering that 2026 marks the 250th day of the U.S.

The pope and President Donald Trump person been astatine likelihood implicit cardinal issues for the White House, including migration and the warfare successful Iran.

Pierre's ambassadorship was besides astatine times astatine likelihood with the much blimpish U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops portion representing Pope Francis’ much progressive priorities.

"Stability and bid are not built with communal threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but lone done a reasonable, authentic, and liable dialogue," the American-born pope said connected Sunday aft the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes connected Iran, according to the outlet Chicago Catholic.

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"Faced with the anticipation of a calamity of tremendous proportions, I code to the parties progressive a heartfelt entreaty to presume the motivation work to halt the spiral of unit earlier it becomes an irreparable abyss," helium added.

In aboriginal January, Leo besides delivered a large argumentation speech, mostly successful English, that came connected the heels of the U.S. subject enactment successful Venezuela.

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia has been appointed by the pope arsenic the caller Vatican ambassador to the U.S. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

"War is backmost successful vogue and a zeal for warfare is spreading," the pope warned successful the speech.

Trump called it a "great grant for our country" erstwhile Leo was elected pope past May aft Pope Francis’ death, and erstwhile asked astir Leo’s remarks earlier this twelvemonth seemingly pressing him connected policy, Trump told Politico helium hadn’t seen the statements from the pontiff, but "I’m definite he’s a beauteous man."

He besides said that helium had met with the pope’s brother, who helium called "serious MAGA."

Last fall, the pope suggested that supporting the "inhuman attraction of immigrants successful the United States" is not "pro-life," leaving White House property caput Karoline Leavitt to "reject determination was inhumane attraction of amerciable immigrants successful the United States nether this administration."

The pope and the Trump medication person been astatine likelihood implicit migration and U.S. subject actions. (Rocco Spaziani/Archivio Rocco Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

Leavitt, who is Catholic, added that the medication ever tries to beryllium arsenic humane arsenic imaginable portion enforcing laws.

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Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, existent president of the U.S. conference, said aft Caccia’s appointment: "On behalf of my member bishops, I privation to widen our warmest invited and our prayerful enactment to him arsenic helium carries retired his responsibilities crossed the United States."

Trump won 59% of the Catholic ballot successful the 2024 election, according to Politico.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.