Pentagon denies report of heated assembly with Vatican consultant

[ad_1] The Pentagon pushed again late Thursday on a report that prompt a gathering in January between a U.S.-based cardinal and a member of Donald Trump's administration grew heated.

The Pentagon stated on social media that Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary of defence for coverage, had a "respectful and affordable dialogue" with Cardinal Christophe Pierre on Jan. 22, slamming "grossly false and distorted current reporting."

"We now have nothing however the highest regard and welcome proceed dialogue with the Holy See," the division stated on X.

The digital outlet the Free Press reported on Monday that Pierre was "summoned" by the White Home over feedback made by U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV two weeks earlier. The report characterised elements of the assembly as a "bitter lecture warning that the USA has the navy energy to do no matter it needs."

The report cited Vatican officers briefed on the assembly who spoke to the Free Press on situation of anonymity.

U.S. ambassador slams 'fabrications' Catholic information companies, a few of which adopted up on the Free Press story with their very own experiences, forged Leo's Jan. 9 handle from the Vatican as a name for multilateralism and compliance with worldwide regulation.

Leo lamented in that speech {that a} "zeal for warfare is spreading. The precept established after the Second World Struggle, which prohibited nations from utilizing power to violate the borders of others, has been fully undermined."

I used to be happy to talk at this time with His Eminence, Cardinal Christophe Pierre. As anticipated, he confirmed that current media characterizations of his assembly with Undersecretary Colby are “fabrications” that had been “simply invented.” Given the intelligence and seriousness of Mr. Colby, I… https://t.co/R2ogLy2HAf

—BrianBurchUSA Whereas Leo didn't consult with particular incidents, the handle got here 5 days after a shock U.S. navy operation that led to the seizure of Venezuelan chief Nicolás Maduro.

The second Trump administration has been accused by some critics of trying to wash ignoble occasions from the historic report, whereas Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and different officers have been seen as erasing a separation of church and state.

Pierre, initially from France, resigned final month after a decade because the Vatican's consultant to the U.S. Whereas he hasn't commented on the assembly with White Home officers, the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, Brian Burch, stated he spoke to Pierre on Thursday.

"He confirmed that current media characterizations of his assembly with Undersecretary Colby are 'fabrications' that had been 'simply invented,'" Burch wrote on X.

Pierre, stated Burch, described the January assembly in Washington as "frank and cordial."

<img loading="lazy" alt="A dark haired, cleanshaven man gestures with his left hand while speaking near an American flag." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a8c7a515-0801-4d3f-9a3b-9e3167a0b3d9,1775822562990/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5088%2C3392%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a8c7a515-0801-4d3f-9a3b-9e3167a0b3d9,1775822562990/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5088%2C3392%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a8c7a515-0801-4d3f-9a3b-9e3167a0b3d9,1775822562990/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5088%2C3392%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/a8c7a515-0801-4d3f-9a3b-9e3167a0b3d9,1775822562990/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5088%2C3392%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5" data-cy="image-img"/> U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, proven on the Pentagon briefing room on Wednesday, has peppered his periodic briefings on the warfare in Iran with references to Christ. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Criticism of present warfare The U.S. administration, which has shut ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders, has claimed heavenly endorsement for Trump's warfare on Iran.

Hegseth — whose ties to controversial fundamentalist Christian preacher Douglas Wilson have been beforehand reported — has urged Individuals to wish for victory "within the identify of Jesus Christ."

When Trump was requested whether or not he thought God authorised of the warfare, he answered affirmatively, "as a result of God is sweet and God needs to see individuals taken care of."

Trump's feedback got here per week after Leo stated in his Palm Sunday message that God "doesn't hearken to the prayers of those that wage warfare, however rejects them."

This week, reporters pressed Leo after Trump threatened on social media that "a complete civilization will die," if Iran didn't conform to a ceasefire. Leo stated the menace was "actually unacceptable."

Leo later praised the present ceasefire, saying Wednesday that "solely by a return to negotiation can an finish to the warfare be achieved."

No U.S. journeys on horizon Trump welcomed Leo's election weeks after the April 2025 dying of Pope Francis as a "nice honour" for the U.S., however there isn't a report of the 2 males having spoken.

Leo was born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955, however because the late Nineteen Eighties, his numerous roles inside the Catholic Church have seen him reside in Rome or Peru.

<img loading="lazy" alt="A bearded man greets a religious leader in robes and hat." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0885fb2d-f9d9-479e-b35a-b3f381c77982,1775820926498/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4417%2C2944%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0885fb2d-f9d9-479e-b35a-b3f381c77982,1775820926498/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4417%2C2944%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0885fb2d-f9d9-479e-b35a-b3f381c77982,1775820926498/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4417%2C2944%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/0885fb2d-f9d9-479e-b35a-b3f381c77982,1775820926498/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4417%2C2944%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.5003396739130435" data-cy="image-img"/> Pope Leo XIV is proven greeting Vice-President JD Vance, after mass at St. Peter's basilica in Rome on Might 19, 2025. (Center East Pictures/AFP by way of Getty) Trump, in distinction to previous presidents similar to Joe Biden and George W. Bush, doesn't often attend church providers. He stated in 2020 that he considers himself a "non-denominational Christian" after being raised Presbyterian.

Trump's political rise since 2015 has been powered by white Christians, significantly from evangelicals. However white Catholics additionally favoured him closely over Hillary Clinton, based on 2016 presidential election exit polls.

In a survey performed in January, the Pew Analysis Heart discovered that 46 per cent of respondents who recognized as white Catholics stated they supported "all or most" of Trump's plans or insurance policies, down 5 share factors from final 12 months. About one-fifth of self-identified Hispanic Catholics answered affirmatively to the identical query.

Late final 12 months, Leo supported a uncommon particular message launched by the U.S. Convention of Catholic Bishops that lamented a "local weather of worry and nervousness round questions of profiling and immigration enforcement" because the Trump administration ramped up deportation efforts.

"If individuals are in the USA illegally, there are methods to deal with that. There are courts, there is a system of justice," stated Leo.

Leo isn't scheduled to go to the U.S. over the primary half of this 12 months, and any journey earlier than early November may very well be considered by a political lens, given the midterm elections being held then.

Leo will depart on Monday for an African journey whose itinery is claimed to incorporate 25 speeches over 10 days in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Since being elevated to the papacy, Leo has beforehand visisted Turkey, Lebanon and Monaco.

LISTEN | The rise of evangelicals in U.S. politics: Concepts 53:58 How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Religion and Fractured a Nation

Up to now decade, there was one steady voting bloc: white evangelical Christians. Their help has been at a continuing 80 per cent for Donald Trump, based on historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez. In her ebook, Jesus and John Wayne, she describes the Trump period as the newest chapter in a protracted story of exclusion, patriarchy, and Christian nationalism within the evangelical church. *This episode initially aired on Oct. 18, 2024. [ad_2] Source link