"Cannot Accept Criticism of the Pope" vs "The Unacceptable One Is Herself"... Trump–Meloni Relationship Frays

Prime Minister Meloni of Italy at Odds with Trump
Criticizes the Pope's Remarks and the Iran War
Trump: "I thought she was courageous, but I am shocked"

The relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is deteriorating due to the Iran war and the recent controversy over the Pope's remarks.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump during their visit to the White House in April last year. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News Agency, on April 14 (local time), President Trump said in an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, "I was shocked because (Prime Minister Meloni) is very different from what I expected," adding, "I thought she was a courageous person, but I was wrong." He pointed out that Italy did not contribute to the operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Meloni, who is considered to be pro-Trump, has strongly criticized the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran as a "violation of international law." She also targeted President Trump, who previously made blunt criticisms of the Pope, saying, "It would be very uncomfortable to live in a society where religious leaders act according to the words of political leaders," and emphasized, "I stand in solidarity with the Pope." The day before, she also said, "It is unacceptable," adding, "It is right and normal for the Pope to call for peace and denounce all forms of war."

In response, President Trump expressed strong displeasure. He said, "The person who is unacceptable is (Prime Minister Meloni) herself," explaining, "Because she doesn't care whether Iran possesses nuclear weapons or not, or whether Italy would be wiped out in two minutes if given the opportunity." He also stated, "The Pope does not understand the situation at all and has no idea what is going on, so he should not speak about war."

Until now, President Trump and Prime Minister Meloni had maintained a friendly relationship. President Trump had praised Meloni as a "great leader," and Prime Minister Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump's inauguration in January last year. However, as the leader of Italy, home to Vatican City, the seat of Catholicism, it appears that she has chosen to prioritize her relationship with the Pope even at the risk of straining ties with President Trump.

Pope Leo XIV. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Recently, after the Pope strongly criticized the Iran war, President Trump asserted, "I do not want a Pope who thinks it is acceptable for Iran to possess nuclear weapons," adding, "If I were not in the White House, Leo would not be in the Vatican." He also posted an AI-generated image that seemed to compare himself to Jesus, but after facing a barrage of criticism for 'blasphemy' from various quarters, he explained, "That is me as a doctor," and deleted the image. However, he refused to apologize to the Pope and continued his criticism.

The Pope stated, "My criticism of the 'delusion of omnipotence' is not intended to attack President Trump or anyone else," and added, "Placing my words on the same level as what President Trump was trying to do is a misunderstanding of the Gospel's message." He said, "I will not participate in the controversy," but stressed, "We must never avoid seeking ways for everyone to find peace and reconciliation and to avoid war." He added, "I am not at all afraid of the Trump administration."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.