A report indicates that senior Pentagon officials summoned the Holy See’s Apostolic Nuncio to Washington and warned him that the Catholic Church should align itself with American military policy.
The claims, first published on April 6 by The Free Press, allege that a closed-door meeting took place in January between US defence officials and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, then apostolic nuncio to the United States. During the meeting, officials are said to have delivered what was described as “a bitter lecture warning that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants”.
According to the report, Elbridge Colby, serving as Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, told the nuncio: “America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”
The meeting is said to have followed remarks by Pope Leo XIV to members of the diplomatic corps in which he warned against “the imperialist occupation of the world” and called on leaders to abandon the “desire to dominate others”. US officials reportedly interpreted the speech as a direct criticism of American foreign policy.
One official present at the meeting is said to have mentioned the Avignon Papacy of 1309–1377, a period in which the papacy fell under significant influence from the French crown, suggesting a historical parallel in which secular power sought to bend the Church to its will. Cardinal Pierre reportedly listened to the remarks in silence.
The account has not been formally confirmed, with senior figures in Washington restrained in responding to the claims. Speaking during a visit to Hungary, Vice President JD Vance said he would seek clarification but declined to endorse the report.
“I would actually like to talk to Cardinal Christophe Pierre and, frankly, to our people, to figure out what actually happened,” he said. “I think it’s always a bad idea to offer an opinion on stories that are unconfirmed and uncorroborated, so I’m not going to do that.”
The Department of Defense has pushed back more directly, describing the account as inaccurate. A spokesman said that the report was “highly exaggerated and distorted” and insisted that “the meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion”.
“We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See,” the spokesman added.
The Vatican has not issued a public response to the claims, and requests for comment have not been answered. However, the reported fallout has extended beyond the meeting itself. According to The Free Press, Vatican officials were sufficiently alarmed by the exchange that a planned visit by Pope Leo XIV to the United States was cancelled.
In recent weeks, Leo XIV has spoken out against the conduct of the war involving Iran, as well as the broader tone of political rhetoric surrounding the conflict.
Speaking to reporters as he left Castel Gandolfo, the Pope criticised comments made by President Trump suggesting that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran failed to meet a US deadline. Leo responded: “Today, as we all know, there was this threat against all the people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable.”
His Easter message also returned to a theme that has become central to his pontificate, warning of what he described as a “globalisation of indifference” towards human suffering.
