Trump calls Giorgia Meloni “unacceptable” after she rebuked Pope Leo XIV’s comments

In a telephone interview with the Italian newspaper Daily Corriere della SeraTrump described Meloni as “unacceptable” and said he was “shocked” by her position, according to the English version of the site.

The dispute with Trump was exacerbated by Meloni’s criticism of his recent statements Pope Leo XIVShe described this as “unacceptable,” which prompted Trump to respond that “she is unacceptable.”

In a sharp rebuke of the Vatican’s call to stop escalation in the Middle East, President Trump resorted to… Social truth To blow up Pope Leo XIV. Trump described the pope as “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” and warned him to “focus on being a great pope, not a politician.” The post, which went viral, accused the first American Pope of “catering to the radical left” at the expense of global security.

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In the interview for Corriere della Sera Trump repeated his criticism of Pope Leo, saying the pope “has no idea what’s going on in Iran” and “doesn’t understand” what’s at stake.

Tensions escalated between President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday. (Susan Plunkett/Reuters)

“She’s not helping us, I’m shocked by her,” Trump said of Meloni in the six-minute conversation.

He went further, accusing Meloni of relying on Washington while it refuses to act.

“They are counting on Donald Trump to keep it open,” he added, referring to global energy routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The comments represent a sharp shift in tone Toward Meloniwho attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration and just weeks ago praised him as a “great leader.”

The White House and Meloni’s office did not immediately respond.

The public spat comes as Meloni has begun to distance herself from both Washington and Jerusalem amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the expanding conflict in the Middle East.

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President Donald Trump delivers a speech, to applause from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after the signing of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Egypt, October 13, 2025. (Evelyn Hochstein/Reuters)

On Tuesday, Meloni confirmed in a statement that Italy had suspended the automatic renewal of a long-term defense cooperation agreement with Israel, signaling a major reset in relations.

“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend automatic card renewal Defense agreement with Israel“, according to what Reuters said.

The move comes in the wake of recent tensions between Rome and Jerusalem, including the firing of Israeli warning shots near Italian troops serving there. South Lebanon Under a UN mandate, as well as growing Italian criticism of Israeli military operations in the region.

Israel played down the impact of the decision, saying that the agreement was largely symbolic and “never included any substantive content,” Reuters reported.

In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid strongly criticized the government in the wake of the Italian move.

“Italy’s decision to suspend the defense cooperation agreement with Israel is another embarrassing failure for the prime minister and non-existent foreign minister,” Lapid wrote on X.

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is welcomed as she arrives at the South Portico of the White House in Washington, D.C., on August 18, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

She added: “Meloni is not a progressive, left-wing European leader.” “She belongs to the conservative right and understands the need to combat terrorism,” he added.

Meloni’s transformation reflects what analysts describe as a… Wider political repositioningThe economic repercussions of the war, especially rising energy costs, are weighing heavily on the import-dependent Italian economy and on Italian public opinion.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni, confirming this Italy’s alliance with the United States Emphasizing that cooperation must be based on “mutual loyalty, respect and frankness.”

The escalating tensions highlight growing divisions within Western alliances US-led confrontation with Iran It is resonating across Europe, forcing leaders like Meloni to balance strategic partnerships with domestic political realities.

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A ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, 2026. (Shadi Al-Assar/Anadolu/Getty Images)

The Israeli Ministry of Defense declined to comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.