Secretary of State Marco Rubio held face-to-face meetings with Pope Leo on Thursday as President Donald Trump has continued to trade barbs with the pope over the Iran war.  In Vatican City, Rubio, America’s top diplomat and a Roman Catholic, met with Pope Leo and Holy See Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to discuss issues such as the Middle East. A State Department official told The Daily Wire that “today’s conversations were friendly and constructive.” “Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV to discuss the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said. “The meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.” During the meeting, Rubio also discussed the United States’ work with the Catholic Church and Caritas in Cuba with the Holy See leadership, according to the State Department official. The meeting follows recent clashes between President Trump and the pope, whose outspoken criticism of the war against the Islamic Republic of Iran has drawn sharp rebukes from the president. Ahead of Rubio’s meeting, Trump sent a “simple” message to the leader of the Catholic Church. “As far as the Pope is concerned, it’s very simple. Whether I make him happy or I don’t make him happy: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “And he seemed to be saying that they can, and I say, they cannot.”