US President Donald Trump renews his public criticism of Pope Francis, restarting a tense dispute in which Trump accuses the pontiff of “endangering” Catholics. The renewed remarks come amid broader diplomatic activity around the conflict involving Iran. According to reporting, Trump frames the Pope’s stance in relation to the Iran war as harmful to Catholics, while the Vatican has not indicated any change in position in these accounts. Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is described as working to repair and stabilize relations with the Vatican after earlier strains. The two developments—Trump’s renewed remarks and Rubio’s efforts—are presented as overlapping but distinct strands: one is a direct escalation in rhetoric from the president, and the other is a diplomatic attempt by the State Department to reduce friction and prevent further deterioration. Overall, the reports indicate that the US–Vatican relationship faces renewed pressure as the Iran-related controversy continues and US officials try to manage the fallout from Trump’s comments.