Ambassador Rejects Claims of Pentagon Threat to Vatican

Brian Birch, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, addressed an explosive report on Thursday, stating that Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, denied allegations suggesting the Pentagon had issued threats against the Vatican. Birch referred to these claims as a “hoax.”

This week, reports emerged indicating that Elbridge A. Colby, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for policy, had a contentious meeting with Pierre back in January. During this meeting, it was suggested that Colby warned the cardinal about the U.S. military’s capacity to impose its will, advising the church to align with it. The report allegedly even mentioned references to the 14th-century Avignon Curia, when King Philip IV of France used military force to relocate the Holy See for 67 years.

In a statement shared on X, Birch noted that Cardinal Pierre confirmed there was no such threat discussed in their January meeting. “I spoke with His Holiness Cardinal Christophe Pierre today. As anticipated, he acknowledged that the recent media portrayals of his meeting with Undersecretary Colby were ‘fabricated,’” Birch stated.

He added, “Given Mr. Colby’s intelligence and seriousness, I wasn’t surprised when His Grace affirmed that there was no threat at all during that meeting. The conversation we had two months ago was open and cordial. As for the Avignon threat? Nothing at all.” Birch continued to express that he and Cardinal Pierre have maintained regular dialogue since Birch’s appointment, emphasizing that even when they have differing views, they’ve approached one another with respect and good faith.

“It is unfortunate that some journalists and online agitators have chosen to use a routine meeting to create discord between the Holy See and the United States,” he concluded.

Similarly, the U.S. Embassy in the Holy See reiterated that Cardinal Pierre rejected the reported threats in a statement on X. The cardinal characterized the meeting with Colby as “frank yet very cordial” and described it as a “normal meeting.” He emphasized that the media reports “do not reflect what happened” and were evidently “made up just to create a story.”