Pentagon plays down rift with Vatican despite Pope Leo’s criticism

The Pentagon and the Vatican denied allegations of a rift following Pope Leo’s criticism of the Trump administration and a news report of a contentious meeting between a papal envoy and a top US defence official.In separate statements, the two sides both professed an eagerness to get along, saying the meeting that occurred in January was frank but polite. The Defence Department issued a statement that said “we have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See”.“The Apostolic Nunciature is grateful for the opportunities to meet and dialogue with government officials and others in Washington to discuss areas of mutual concern,” the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Washington said in a statement.The episode comes at a moment of friction between the Trump administration and the new pope. In a January address, Pope Leo made a plea for a more peaceful world order and offered oblique criticism of the US days after a US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force,” he said.He was even more pointed after US President Donald Trump issued a social media threat against Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight”. The pope called that threat “truly unacceptable.”Those tensions were given further fuel this week after the Free Press reported that US officials had pressured the Catholic Church to take Washington’s side in international affairs – and warned of dire consequences if it failed to do so.US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters