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People Leo XIV on Saturday announced the appointment of the Vatican's new ambassador, Apostolic Nuncio, to the U.S. to help manage strained relations with the Trump administration.

Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, 68, a veteran Vatican diplomat who is currently ambassador to the United Nations, previously served as ambassador to the Philippines and Lebanon.

Caccia is replacing 80-year-oldCardinal Christophe Pierre, who is retiring.

"I receive this mission with both joy and a sense of trepidation," Caccia said after the appointment, according to the Vatican News. He added that his mission was "at the service of communion and peace," remembering that 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S.

White House Says No To Catholic Bishops' Call For Christmas Pause In Immigration Enforcement

The pope and PresidentDonald Trumphave been at odds over key issues for the White House, including immigration and the war in Iran.

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Pierre's ambassadorship was also at times at odds with the more conservative U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops while representingPope Francis' more progressive priorities.

"Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue," the American-born pope said on Sunday after the U.S. and Israel launchedcoordinated strikes on Iran, accordingto the outlet Chicago Catholic.

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"Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I address to the parties involved a heartfelt appeal to assume the moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss," he added.

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In early January, Leo also delivered a major policy speech, mostly in English, that came on the heels of the U.S. military action in Venezuela.

"War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading,"the popewarned in the speech.

Trump called it a "great honor for our country" when Leo was elected pope last May after Pope Francis' death, and when asked about Leo's remarks earlier this year seemingly pressing him on policy, Trump told Politico he hadn't seen the statements from the pontiff, but "I'm sure he's a lovely man."

He also said that he had met with the pope's brother, who he called "serious MAGA."

Last fall, the pope suggested that supporting the "inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States" is not "pro-life," leaving White House press secretaryKaroline Leavittto "reject there was inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants in the United States under this administration."

Leavitt, who is Catholic, added that the administration always tries to be as humane as possible while enforcing laws.

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Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, current president of the U.S. conference, said after Caccia's appointment: "On behalf of my brother bishops, I wish to extend our warmest welcome and our prayerful support to him as he carries out his responsibilities across the United States."

Trump won 59% of theCatholic votein the 2024 election, according to Politico.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Original article source:Pope Leo picks new Vatican ambassador to US as Trump tensions mount over policies

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices have soared in the week since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran, but President Donald Trump on Saturday downplayed the idea of turning to America'sStrategic Petroleum Reserveto ease the pressure.

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Trump was asked by reporters on Air Force One about whether he would consider tapping the reserve. As the war continues to escalate across the Middle East, including in areas critical to the production and movement of oil and gas, that's strained the energy sector globally. In the U.S., consumers arealready facing higher gas prices, a key cost of living.

"We've got a lot of oil. Our country has a tremendous amount," Trump said. "There's a lot of oil out there. That'll get healed very quickly."

Trump's Republican Party is underpressure over the issue of affordabilityahead of November midterm elections. Tapping the reserve is among the few things a president can do on his own to try to make animpact on oil prices.

Here is a look at what would be involved:

What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?

TheStrategic Petroleum Reserveis a collection of underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold more than 700 million barrels of oil, although it is not currently full. The reserve held more than 415 million barrels as of the end of last month, up from about 395 million barrels at this time in 2025,according to the U.S. Energy Department.

The reserve was created after the 1970s Arab oil embargo to give the United States a supply that could be used in an emergency. The amount of oil inside peaked more than a decade and a half ago, Energy Department data shows, when the reserve held more than 726.6 million barrels at one point.

How is it used?

Today, the U.S. exports more petroleum than it imports. But the reserve remains andhas been tapped for various reasonsover time, from offsetting the impact of hurricanes and ship-channel closings to raising money for deficit reduction.

Former presidents have turned to the reserve amid supply disruptions spanning from geopolitical conflicts, adding more supply onto the market in the hope of pushing prices lower. President Joe Bidendrew significantly fromthe reserve in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, dropping the stockpile to its lowest level since the 1980s. Back in 1991, President George H.W. Bush also authorized withdrawing nearly 34 million barrels during the Gulf War, although only 17 million barrels were used. And in 2011, President Barack Obama approved the release of 30 million barrels to offset the disruption of supply from Libya.

Why isn't Trump tapping the reserve now?

As the Iran war continues to escalate, oil prices have spiked rapidly, reaching theirhighest level since 2023. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 8.5% to $92.69 on Friday — up from nearly $70 a barrel just late last week. Meanwhile, benchmark U.S. crude climbed 12.2%, to $90.90 a barrel on Friday.

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The Trump administrationtook one step last weekto respond to the higher prices: the Treasury Department said India can buy crude oil and petroleum products from Russia until April 4, calling the sanctions waiver a "stop-gap measure" to "alleviate pressure" on the market.

But asked whether he would take other steps, such as tapping the SPR, Trump downplayed the need to use the supplies — noting the U.S. has "a tremendous amount" of oil — and instead focused on criticizing Biden, his predecessor, for drawing down the reserves.

Trump said he would begin filling up the SPR again at the "appropriate time, which is basically a gut instinct."

Would gas get cheaper if the reserve was tapped?

Many factors go into prices at the pump.

In the U.S., the average price for gasolinehas already climbednationally — sitting at about $3.41 per gallon on Saturday, up about 43 cents a week ago, per motor club AAA. But refineries buy crude oil in advance, so it's possible that the pain of higher prices could increase if the war drags on. And even if more oil were withdrawn from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, refineries could still be working with more expensive supply for a bit.

As always, some states also have pricier averages than others, due to factors ranging from nearby refinery supply to local fuel requirements and differing tax rates. On Saturday, California had the highest average of nearly $5.08 per gallon, while Kansas had the lowest of about $2.90 a gallon.

Gas prices are regressive — meaning lower-income people are more likely to spend a higher percentage of their money on fuel than affluent Americans. So increases hurt the most price-sensitive consumers.

How do they get the oil out?

Oil is lighter than water — that's why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface. To remove oil from the reserves,water is pumped into the salt caverns, making the crude float to the surface, where it is captured and sent through pipelines to refineries.

AP writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report from Washington.

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli reservist soldier killed a Palestinian man in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the third Palestinian killed in the West Bank this week. Violence has surged in the territory as Israel intensifies its military presence because of the war across the region.

Amir Muhammad Shanaran, 28, was killed on Saturday and his brother Khaled was critically injured after a reservist soldier opened fire on Palestinians in the south Hebron Hills, according to the Israeli rights group Btselem.

It was the third time this week a Palestinian was killed. On Monday,Israeli settlers killed two Palestinian brothersin the northern West Bank village of Qaryout. Three others were also wounded by gunfire in the incident.

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The Israeli military said it responded to reports of a violent altercation between settlers and Palestinians on Saturday. According to an initial review, a reservist soldier opened fire, injuring two Palestinians, and one later died of his wounds. The military said it is investigating the incident.

Palestinians and rights groups say that Israeli authorities routinely fail to prosecute settlers or holdthem accountable for violence.

Saturday's incident took place in the Masafer Yatta region, a collection of Bedouin villages which was depicted in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land. The documentarychronicles the struggleby residents to stop the Israeli military from demolishing their villages as well as Israeli settler violence against Palestinians.

The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry on Saturday accused Israel of "exploiting the atmosphere of war" and the lack of international attention to issues in the West Bank to intensify intimidation, violence, and forced displacement.