The Vatican has officially denied the reports pointing to alleged pressures or threats from the United States in the meeting held between Cardinal Christophe Pierre and Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, thus putting an end to the controversy generated in recent days.
According to journalist Diane Montagna, the Holy See has issued a statement assuring that “the account offered by some media does not correspond at all to the truth,” in reference to the versions that spoke of a tense meeting at the Pentagon.
The Holy See confirms the version already advanced by the US
This pronouncement reinforces the line that had already been defended by the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, who assured—after speaking with Cardinal Pierre himself—that the disseminated information was “fabrications” and that there were no threats of any kind.
Now it is the Vatican itself that takes a further step and directly disauthorizes those versions, emphasizing that the meeting was framed within the usual functions of the apostolic nuncio and consisted of an exchange of views on matters of common interest.
An ordinary meeting, according to the official version
The Vatican statement insists that the meeting with Colby was part of the normal diplomatic activity of the pontifical representative, without any type of pressure or warning occurring.
In this way, the Holy See dismantles the narrative that had arisen from a report published by The Free Press, which was subsequently amplified by other analyses and bulletins, and which described the meeting in terms of confrontation.
The controversy is defused
With this official statement, the Vatican closes the door on interpretations that suggested a diplomatic clash between Washington and León XIV in an international context marked by geopolitical tensions.
Until now, the debate was based on opposing versions between journalistic leaks and indirect denials from the diplomatic sphere. The direct intervention of the Holy See modifies that scenario and gives decisive weight to the version that denies any type of threat.
No details on the content of the meeting
The statement does not go into the specific content of the conversation held at the Pentagon, limiting itself to clarifying its nature and rejecting the disseminated interpretations.
With this, the Vatican makes clear the essential: the meeting took place, but the account that presented it as an episode of pressure or intimidation does not fit the reality.