Blinken tight lipped after meeting with pope

Pope Francis met U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Vatican on Monday (June 28).

It's not entirely clear what the pair discussed, but the meeting comes after American Catholic bishops voted to draft a statement that could deny President Joe Biden communion.

The document targets Catholic politicians who support a woman's right to an abortion, despite opposing the practice personally.

Blinken met the pope privately for 40 minutes, but avoided any direct questions from journalists.

"One of the luxuries of my job is that I don't do domestic politics and so I'll simply say that it was truly a wonderful and memorable moment to have had the opportunity to speak to His Holiness and to have such a warm and wide ranging conversation."

A state department spokesman said Blinken and Pope Francis discussed China, refugees, and climate change, among other topics.

The Vatican and the Biden administration agree on the dangers of climate change.

A previous point of contention with the White House during the Trump administration.

The pope had criticized Donald Trump's withdrawal of the United States from the 2015 Paris accord to limit global warming.

He has since welcomed Biden's return to the agreement.