Report Details U.S. Intelligence Activities Targeting the Vatican

Sun, 03 May 2026 23:41:00 +0200

A recent report by investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein claims that the U.S. government has been monitoring the Vatican and Pope Leo XIV through a multi-agency intelligence effort. According to sources cited by Klippenstein, this surveillance intensified following critical remarks by former President Donald Trump about the Pope’s foreign policy and stance on crime. The report details involvement from the CIA, NSA, FBI, and the State Department, including human intelligence operatives within the Vatican, monitoring of communications, and the production of daily intelligence assessments focused on Vatican affairs. While much of the collaboration between the U.S. and Vatican is portrayed as legitimate, such as coordination on cybersecurity, human trafficking, and art theft, Klippenstein suggests it also provides cover for intelligence-gathering. The report notes specialized U.S. military capabilities, including a Vatican-specific language code for Ecclesiastical Latin. These revelati