White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Vance passed a long a letter to the pope from President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump “extending their warm wishes and inviting him to the White House as soon as he possibly can” visit.

Vance and Rubio had a “cordial” meeting with Pope Leo XIV about relations between the U.S. and the Vatican, and finding solutions to international conflicts.

The Trump administration seeks to improve ties, by working together on resolving the war in Ukraine and de-emphasizing disagreements over U.S. migrant policy.