Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has openly criticised US President Donald Trump over his harsh remarks against Pope Leo XIV, describing the comments as “unacceptable.”
Trump had earlier launched a scathing attack on the Pope via Truth Social, accusing him of being “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy,”.
He later told reporters that he was “not a big fan.” of the Pope.
Responding in a statement, Meloni defended the Pope’s position, noting that as head of the Catholic Church, it is both “right and normal” for him to advocate for peace and condemn all forms of war.
The development is significant given Meloni’s close political alignment with Trump and her previous reluctance to criticise him publicly.
Her delayed response had already drawn backlash from opposition parties in Italy.
Meanwhile, her coalition partner, Matteo Salvini, also distanced himself from Trump’s comments, stating that attacking the Pope “doesn’t seem like a useful or intelligent thing to do.”
The tension follows growing disagreement over the ongoing Iran conflict, where Pope Leo XIV has been a vocal critic of military escalation.
He previously described threats to destroy Iranian civilisation as “unacceptable” and urged efforts toward de-escalation.
Despite the criticism, the Pope has declined to engage directly in a confrontation with Trump, stating during a trip that he would remain focused on promoting peace.
However, Trump has doubled down on his stance, insisting he would not apologise to what he described as a “very weak” Pope, further deepening the rift between the US administration and the Vatican.
