Meloni calls Trump’s attack on Pope Leo “Unacceptable” as political fallout spreads across Italy

US President Donald Trump’s onslaught connected Pope Leo has been described arsenic “unacceptable” by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who connected Monday joined politicians crossed the governmental spectrum successful defending the pontiff.

According to Kathimerini, Meloni issued an unusually nonstop nationalist rebuke of Trump, contempt her antecedently adjacent ties with the US president, underscoring the widespread choler successful Italy implicit his remarks.

The contention erupted aft Trump called Pope Leo “terrible” during a lengthy tirade connected Sunday. He aboriginal escalated tensions by posting an AI-generated representation depicting himself arsenic a Jesus-like figure, prompting further disapproval from Christians who viewed the representation arsenic blasphemous.

Pope Leo, person of the world’s 1.4 cardinal Catholics, responded quickly, telling reporters helium had “no fear” of the Trump medication and pledging to proceed speaking retired against the US-led war with Iran, arsenic well arsenic successful defence of migrants. Meloni’s archetypal statement had already backed Pope Leo arsenic helium departed connected an ambitious four-nation tour of Africa, though she did not straight notation Trump’s comments astatine the time.Following disapproval from absorption parties that she had failed to face Trump, Meloni aboriginal issued a 2nd statement clarifying her position.

“I find President Trump’s words towards the Holy Father unacceptable. The Pope is the caput of the Catholic Church, and it is close and mean for him to telephone for bid and to condemn each signifier of war,” she said.

The information of going aft popes

Meloni was the lone European person to be Trump’s inauguration successful 2025 and had hoped her narration with him would strengthen her governmental standing domestically and internationally.However, Trump’s unpopularity successful Italy appears to beryllium growing, with 66 per cent of Italians holding a antagonistic view of the US president. Polling suggests Meloni’s ties to the White House whitethorn person contributed to her decision successful past month’s referendum connected judicial reform. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who has besides antecedently aligned himself with Trump, distanced himself from the US president connected Monday, signalling a broader displacement among sections of Europe’s acold close distant from the MAGA governmental orbit.

“Pope Leo is simply a spiritual person for billions of Catholics, but beyond that, if there is 1 idiosyncratic striving for peace, it is Pope Leo, and so attacking him does not look either wise oregon helpful,” helium said.

As the bishop of Rome and spiritual person to millions of Italian Catholics, the Pope remains a fig politicians crossed the spectrum are cautious astir confronting.

“It has been centuries since such a blatant enactment of aggression against the Roman pontiff was seen,” said erstwhile centre-left premier curate Matteo Renzi, adding that it was vital for Catholics and non-believers alike to support Pope Leo.