Pentagon denies threatening Vatican in January meeting

The Pentagon has firmly denied allegations that senior US defense officials threatened the Vatican during a closed-door meeting in late January 2026.

The denial, issued on April 9, follows a report by The Free Press that described the encounter as a tense confrontation involving veiled warnings of military dominance.

According to the initial report published on April 6, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre, then the Holy See’s apostolic nuncio to the United States, to the Pentagon on January 22.

Vatican officials briefed on the discussion characterized it as a “bitter lecture” prompted by Pope Leo XIV’s January 9 address to the diplomatic corps.

In that speech, the pontiff criticized “diplomacy based on force” and the resurgence of war, remarks widely interpreted as implicit disapproval of certain Trump administration policies.

The report alleged that officials reminded the cardinal that the United States possesses unmatched military power and that the Catholic Church “had better take its side.”

A reference to the historical Avignon Papacy—when popes resided under French influence in the 14th century—was reportedly included, which some Vatican sources interpreted as a veiled threat of coercion.

Several accounts indicated that the meeting contributed to the Vatican’s decision to cancel Pope Leo XIV’s planned visit to the United States later in 2026.

Pentagon officials have rejected these claims outright.

A Department of Defense spokesperson described the gathering as “respectful and reasonable,” labeling the media characterization “highly exaggerated and distorted.”

The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, corroborated this account in separate remarks, calling the allegations “fabrications” and confirming that the meeting was “frank and cordial” with no threats issued.

The Apostolic Nunciature in Washington also verified that the January 22 meeting occurred, describing it as a standard diplomatic exchange on matters of mutual concern.

A Vatican official speaking to another outlet noted the discussion was at times “tense” but explicitly denied any implication of threats.

The episode occurs amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff.

The Pope’s public statements opposing military escalation, particularly regarding US actions in the Western Hemisphere and elsewhere, have drawn criticism from some administration figures. Vice President JD Vance and other officials have pushed back on related reporting while affirming the strength of bilateral ties.