According to people familiar with Vatican thinking, it’s likely Parolin discussed the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID, a move seen in Vatican circles as an affront to the Church’s charitable efforts, and reiterated the pope’s opposition to Trump’s migration policy. Over the course of his papacy, Francis and his allies have repeatedly urged world leaders to treat migrants with dignity, frequently drawing criticism from conservatives.
The visit comes at a sensitive moment. With the pope’s health still in question, Vatican officials are leery at the prospect of powerful American Catholic conservatives trying to influence any future conclave. U.S. Catholics are also financially powerful, said one high-level cleric, which presents a danger at a time the Vatican is suffering from a steepening financial crisis.
On top of that, the meeting comes under the shadow of intense negotiations between the EU and the U.S. after Trump slapped the bloc with 10 percent tariffs on all exports, offering 90 days to negotiate a trade deal before he increases the levies to 20 percent. On Thursday, Meloni herself took a trip to the White House in a bid to convince Trump to work with Europe, although the feeling in Rome is that while she charmed the president, she ultimately came home empty handed.
During his visit to Rome Friday, Vance largely reiterated his boss’s position, affirming the strong ties between Italy and the U.S. and confirming that negotiations over tariffs would take place between Washington and Brussels. “In practical terms, I think nothing has changed so far,” said one Italian official. “However, from a political standpoint, she proved to be able to have a decent, normal, respectful discussion with Trump … not exactly something very common among European politicians in these days.”
The diplomatic prospects for the visit to the Vatican are less clear. Some have suggested that Parolin — who is seen as less flashy, and more moderate, than Francis, despite broadly sharing his views — might be more amenable to Vance’s position.
But Parolin too is in an awkward position. The diplomat, a shrewd pragmatist and one of Francis’s longest surviving allies, is seen as a more moderate figure by critics of the pontiff. But whispers that Parolin was being set up to succeed Francis during the days of the pope’s sickness — the cardinal played an outsize role, leading several prayer sessions outside St. Peter’s — amplified speculation that he was himself making a bid. That prompted unease in some quarters of the Holy See, with some seeking to rein him in, said the person quoted above, though others insisted Parolin’s loyalty was never in question.
