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April 14, 2026, 5:44 p.mApril 14, 2026, 5:44 p.m
After Donald Trump’s attacks against Pope Leo XIV, the US President is now also attacking Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “She is the one who is unacceptable because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if he had the chance,” Trump told the newspaper Corriere della Sera. Meloni had previously described his harsh criticism of the Pope as “unacceptable”.
Trump accused the Pope of pursuing a “terrible” foreign policy. He wrote on the Truth Social platform that he doesn’t want a pope who thinks it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Leo had obviously incurred the wrath of the White House with his appeals for an end to the current wars. Leo later made it clear that he would not allow himself to be intimidated. Meloni then called Trump’s words “unacceptable.”
Trump: “I’m shocked by them”
Trump was generally disappointed with Meloni in the interview, which was conducted by telephone according to the “Corriere della Sera”. «I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage. I was wrong,” he said. Trump accused her of providing “no help whatsoever to procure oil,” with a view to the conflict with Iran. He couldn’t imagine that the Italians would like this.
Trump repeatedly criticizes international partners for not becoming more active in the Iran war. Points of contention included the use of military bases and a mission to open the Strait of Hormuz. Meloni, for her part, rejected Italian involvement from the start with a view to the Iran war. Most recently, Italy also refused to allow US planes to land at a base on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.
Trump and Meloni are actually close allies
Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister is actually one of the heads of government in Europe who has a good relationship with Trump. Meloni had repeatedly tried to act as a bridge builder between the EU and the Trump administration. Trump, in turn, praised the politician several times. Among other things, he called her “incredible” and a “very successful politician.” (sda/dpa)