Vance, Rubio to attend pope's inauguration but White House mum on Trump

• The White House did not confirm whether President Trump would attend.
• Trump is currently in the United Arab Emirates as part of his visit to the Middle East.

Driving the news: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has played a key role in the administration's immigration crackdown, will also join the delegation.

• Second Lady Usha Vance and Jeanette Rubio, the secretary's wife, will also travel to the Vatican.

Flashback: Then-Vice President Joe Biden — who like Vance, is Catholic — led the delegation to the late Pope Francis inaugural mass in 2013.

Catch up quick: Leo, previously known as Robert Prevost, was elected pope by a conclave last week.

• An X account with his name, which appears to have since been deleted, had previously shared critical posts and stories about the Trump administration.
• In one post, he quoted an article headline that read, "Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others."
• Trump said in a Truth Social post after Leo was elected that he looked forward to meeting the new pope, writing, ""What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country."

Zoom out: Meeting with Vance was one of Pope Francis' final acts as pontiff, a role in which he was seen as a progressive force.

• Francis openly criticized the Trump administration, notably on the president's controversial immigration policies, as have other Christian officials.
• Vance defended Trump when the president shared a seemingly AI-generated photo of himself as the pope after Francis' death, but several religious leaders condemned the image.

Go deeper: Pope Leo XIV calls for Gaza ceasefire and peace in Ukraine