Former Italian Prime Minister and European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni slammed U.S. President Donald Trump for criticizing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after she defended Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV.
On Monday, Trump blasted the Pope for criticizing the U.S. military attacks against Iran, accusing the leader of the Catholic Church of being “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy.”
Meloni condemned Trump’s assertions and said in a statement: “I find President Trump’s remarks about the Holy Father unacceptable.” The Italian PM elaborated: “The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and proper that he call for peace and condemn all forms of war.”
Trump responded, “It’s her who’s unacceptable, because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.”
Le parole di #Trump contro #Meloni sono inaccettabili. Ci sarà tempo per rinfacciare gli errori, ora difendiamo l’Italia.
— Paolo Gentiloni (@PaoloGentiloni) April 14, 2026
Gentiloni responded: “#Trump’s words against #Meloni are unacceptable. There will be time to throw mistakes back in faces, now we defend Italy.”
[NOTE: During the first Trump administration, Trump welcomed Prime Minister Gentiloni to the White House in 2017 (photo below) and said Italy was a key partner against terror. Trump said: “We are grateful for the role Italy is playing in stabilizing Libya and limiting ISIS’s habitation in the Mediterranean.”]
