dailyloe.com – The Pentagon reportedly issued a stark warning to the Vatican following Pope Leo XIV’s critique of U.S. militarism in January, according to a new report by The Free Press. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre to a closed-door meeting. Colby allegedly stated the U.S. has the military power to do whatever it wants globally.
The meeting occurred days after the Pope’s annual State of the World address on January 9. Pope Leo XIV argued that diplomacy promoting dialogue was being replaced by a diplomacy based on force. He also stated that war was back in vogue and a zeal for war was spreading.
The Trump administration took issue with the Pope’s critique of its militaristic proclivities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials were aggrieved by the speech. The address was dissected line by line as a hostile message toward the administration.
According to the report, one U.S. official at the meeting referenced the 14th-century Avignon papacy. This historical period saw the French monarchy subdue the Catholic Church. The reference alluded to a past attack on a pope and the forced relocation of the papacy.
The Pope’s comments were interpreted as immediate commentary on Trump’s second administration. That administration had recently bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities. It had also kidnapped a Venezuelan leader, according to the source material.
Relations between the U.S. and the Catholic Church have been strained since the incident. The alleged threat underscores tensions between religious authority and state power. The report reveals a significant diplomatic rift over fundamental principles of international engagement.[]
Source: Yahoo
