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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
World
Michael Toledo

Catholic Church Response to Pentagon Pressure Claim: Pope Leo XIV Continues Defiant Anti-War Rhetoric

Leo XIV Pentagon Pete Hegseth Vatican Christophe Pierre Elbridge Colby the Holy See Foreign Policy
Pope Leo XIV has consistently urged world leaders to prioritise diplomacy over military escalation in addressing global conflicts. (Credit: Official Vatican Website)

A reported closed-door meeting between senior United States defence officials and a Vatican envoy in January 2026 has renewed scrutiny of relations between Washington and the Holy See, with Pope Leo XIV since maintaining a firm public stance against war and military escalation.

While early reporting suggested the Vatican was pressed to align more closely with US foreign policy positions, both sides have since disputed claims of coercion. The Vatican has not issued a formal response, but the Pope's continued remarks on conflict have kept tensions in focus.

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