Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Donald Trump’s tirade against Pope Leo XIV “unacceptable,” exposing a growing rift with the US leader over his war on Iran.
Meloni had already indirectly addressed the comments by Trump, a political ally who had lashed out at the pope over his anti-war stance over the weekend. Earlier on Monday, she had said she was thankful for Leo’s peace efforts on Iran and wished him well on a trip to Africa.
Later on Monday, after politicians from across the spectrum condemned the president’s remarks, Meloni was more explicit.
“I thought the meaning of my statement this morning was clear, but I’ll reiterate it with more clarity,” she said. “I find President Trump’s words against the Holy Father unacceptable.”
Her response marks the strongest public expression of dissent yet from Meloni, who has engaged in a lengthy balancing act with Trump since he returned to the White House last year. She has, however, grown increasingly distant from Washington after a referendum defeat last month and after the Iran war roiled both energy markets and domestic public opinion.
The pope’s role at the head of the Catholic church made it “right and normal for him to call for peace and condemn every type of war,” Meloni said.
The verbal row, which started on Friday, showed no signs of letting up. “There’s nothing to apologize for. He’s wrong,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday, repeating his criticisms over Iran and on crime. “I mean, he went public. I’m just responding to Pope Leo.”
Earlier on Monday, Pope Leo XIV had vowed to keep criticizing the US-Israeli war on Iran.
“I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking to promote peace, promoting dialog and multilateral relationships among the states to look for just solutions to problems,” Leo told reporters Monday as he flew to Algeria for the start of a tour through Africa, according to Reuters.
Though Italy has no direct role in Vatican diplomacy, relations between Rome and the Holy See are politically very important for Italian leaders.
Leo, an American-born clergyman, has been vocal in promoting peace and condemning war since being being elected pope in May 2025. That’s frequently brought him into conflict with US leader, though Leo insisted he wasn’t seeking to engage Trump, hours after the president attacked him as “WEAK on crime.”
“I don’t want to get into a debate with him,” the pope said. “I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
On Friday the pontiff had written on X: “God does not bless any conflict. Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword who today drop bombs. Military action will not create space for freedom or times of #Peace.”
On Sunday evening, Trump lashed out in response.
“I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” he wrote on Truth Social. “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country.”
Moments later, Trump posted a picture — later removed — that appeared to echo images of Jesus, depicting himself in robes healing a sick patient.
On Monday, Leo said he was not attempting to become a political figure. “The message of the church, my message, the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician,” he told reporters.
Previously, the pope had also challenged the administration’s argument that God is on the side of the US in the conflict with Iran.
Leo, the first US-born pope, is on the first leg of an Africa trip that will see him also visit Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon — a sign of outreach as conflict roils the Middle East.
Trump has had several run-ins with the Catholic Church since returning to office in 2025. Last year, as the church was picking its next leader after Pope Francis died, the White House and Trump posted a picture of the president dressed like the pope.
With assistance from Jordan Fabian.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
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