President Joe Biden to meet with Pope Francis at Vatican days before Trump inauguration
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will travel to Italy in January for a meeting with Pope Francis in what will likely be the final international trip of his term.
The White House said Biden spoke with the pontiff on Thursday and accepted his invitation to visit the Vatican next month, a little more than a week before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.
Biden's trip will take place Jan. 9-12. The lame-duck U.S. leader will meet with the pontiff on Jan. 10 and separately with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the White House said.
The president and the pope will discuss efforts to advance peace around the world, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
In his meetings with Italian leaders, Biden will highlight the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship, thank Meloni for her strong leadership of the Group of Seven, or G7, over the past year and discuss other challenges facing the world, Jean-Pierre said.
Biden, a devout Roman Catholic, met with Pope Francis earlier this year while he was in Italy for the G7 summit. The president also met the pontiff in 2021 when he was in Rome for the Group of 20, or G20, summit.
Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, has come under fire from some Catholics over his support of abortion rights and same-sex marriages. Some conservative bishops have argued that leaders who hold those views should be denied communion. Biden told reporters after their meeting in 2021 that Pope Francis said he should continue to receive communion.
During their conversation on Thursday, Biden spoke with the pope about efforts to advance peace around the world during the holiday season. The president thanked the pope his continued advocacy to alleviate global suffering, including his work to advance human rights and protect religious freedoms, the White House said.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.