Little Marco’s Awkward Gift to Pope Leo (w/ Katie McGrady)
Bulwark Takes
The Bulwark
4.7 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 9 May 2026
⏱️ 19 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
JVL is joined by SiriusXM's The Catholic Channel host Katie McGrady to break down one of the strangest diplomatic moments of the year: Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and gifting him a crystal football paperweight. They unpack the awkward exchange, why the Trump administration seems uneasy with the first American pope, and how previous presidents and diplomats handled papal gifts with a lot more thought.
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| 1:46.0 | Hello, everyone. |
| 1:46.9 | This is JVL and I am here to talk to you today about Little Marco Rubio's White Elephant |
| 1:52.7 | Gift Exchange with Pope Leo the 14th. |
| 1:56.9 | It happened yesterday. |
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