Trump calls Giorgia Meloni ‘unacceptable’ after she rebukes his Pope Leo XIV remarks

Tensions between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated on Tuesday after the US president publicly rebuked one of his closest European allies, accusing him of lacking “courage” and failing to support Washington’s efforts against Iran.

In a telephone interview with the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della SeraAccording to the English version of the broadcast, Trump called Meloni “unacceptable” and said he was “shocked” by her attitude.

The dispute with Trump was further fueled by his criticism of Meloni’s recent remarks aimed at Pope Leo

President Trump has harshly rebuked the Vatican’s call to reduce tensions in the Middle East. Real Social To blast Pope Leo XIV. Labeling the Pope as “Weak on Crime” and “terrible on Foreign Policy,” Trump warned him to “focus on being the Great Pope, not the Politician.” The post, which quickly went viral, accused the first American Pope of “serving the Radical Left” at the expense of global security.

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

“He’s not helping us at all, I’m shocked by him,” Trump said of Meloni during the six-minute call.

He went further, accusing Meloni of relying on Washington while refusing to take action.

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

The comments mark a sharp change in tone towards Meloni, who attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration and was praised by him as a “great leader” a few weeks ago.

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

The rift in public opinion comes as Meloni begins to distance himself from both Washington and Jerusalem amid growing domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

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US President Donald Trump makes his remarks while applauding Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was officially signed at the world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

On Tuesday, Meloni confirmed that Italy had suspended the automatic renewal of its long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel, signaling a significant recalibration in relations.

“In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel,” he said, according to Reuters.

The move follows recent tensions between Rome and Jerusalem, including Israel firing warning shots near Italian troops operating under UN authority in southern Lebanon and increasing Italian criticism of Israel’s military operations in the region.

Israel downplayed the impact of the decision, saying the agreement was largely symbolic and “never contained any substantive substance,” Reuters reported.

Opposition leader in Israel, Yair Lapid, harshly criticized the government after Italy’s move.

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

TRUMP SAID THAT HE WAS CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING US FROM NATO DUE TO THE IRAN WAR SITUATION

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is greeted by U.S. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley (left) as she arrives at the South Portico of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. European leaders join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on August 18 as they try to find a way to end Russia’s aggression. The leaders who went to Washington on Monday to stand with Zelensky call themselves a “coalition of the willing.” (Photo: Mandel NGAN/AFP) (Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) (Mandel Ngan/AFP)

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

Meloni’s shift reflects what analysts describe as a broader political repositioning; because the economic repercussions of the war, especially increasing energy costs, pose a heavy burden on Italy’s import-dependent economy and public opinion.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni and reaffirmed Italy’s alliance with the United States, while emphasizing that cooperation should be based on “loyalty, respect and mutual honesty”.

Rising tensions are highlighting growing fissures within Western alliances as the US-led conflict with Iran reverberates across Europe, forcing leaders like Meloni to balance strategic partnerships with domestic political realities.

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A ship is seen passing through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)

The Israeli Ministry of Defense declined to comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.