After the words about the Pope

Trump: 'Shocked by Meloni, I thought she had courage'. Solidarity from Schlein: 'Dutiful to defend the Pope'

The US president attacks the premier after her speech in defence of Pope Leo XIV. The tycoon: "It is she who is unacceptable"

14 April 2026

Donald Trump e Giorgia Meloni (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Trump's response to Meloni's remarks
Trump: "Meloni is no longer the same"
Majority defends PM, but recalls that relations with US are 'solid'
Crosetto: 'Being an ally does not mean accepting everything in silence'
Solidarity from Schlein: "Meloni dutifully defended the Pope"
Bonelli: "We all say no to war"
Conte: 'Meloni pays for ambiguity'
Renzi: "Meloni's collapse has begun". Calenda: "The premier did what she had to do"

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In an interview with Corriere della Sera, US President Donald Trump said he was 'shocked' by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "I can't imagine that. I thought she had courage, I was wrong," Trump said.

Trump's response to Meloni's distancing

The White House leader's statements come after the premier's defence of Pope Leo XIV, who intervened in the debate between the Pontiff and the tycoon on the war in Iran. 'Unacceptable' words, according to Meloni, those of Trump on the Pope. "I have expressed and I express my solidarity with Pope Leo," the Prime Minister added, "I say more: frankly, I would not feel comfortable in a society in which religious leaders do what political leaders say. Not in this part of the world'.

Trump: "Meloni is no longer the same"

"It is she who is unacceptable, because she doesn't care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italia in two minutes if she had the chance," was the US president's dry reply. "She is no longer the same person, and Italia will not be the same country," Trump added, saying he had not had contact with Meloni "for a long time".

Majority defends PM, but recalls that relations with the US are 'solid'

In defence of the premier, from the majority, her deputy Antonio Tajani and Senate President Ignazio la Russa and the deputy premier intervened. Both stressed the "friendship" and "solid alliance" with the US, but also the "duty" to say what he thinks. "And on Pope Leo XIV," Tajani wrote on X, "he said exactly what all of us Italian citizens think".

Crosetto: 'Being allies does not mean accepting everything in silence'

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was harsher. 'Friendship between allied nations is based on respect,' he wrote, 'not on giving up one's autonomy of judgement. Being an ally does not mean accepting everything in silence, but having the courage to say clearly what you consider to be right. The bond between Italia and the United States is not in question, just as the solidity of the alliance is not in question. Giorgia Meloni is a leader who has never been afraid to say what she thinks, especially when principles, respect and identity are at stake'.

Schlein, solidarietà a Meloni, non accettiamo attacchi a nostro Paese

Solidarity from Schlein: 'Meloni dutifully defended the Pope'

From the opposition came solidarity from Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein. "A very serious thing has happened and I want to express our strongest condemnation, which I am sure will be unanimous, for President Donald Trump's attack on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for having dutifully expressed solidarity with Pope Leo. And I want to say that Italia is a free and sovereign country and that our Constitution is clear: Italia repudiates war. No foreign head of state can afford to attack or threaten or disrespect our country and our government. We are adversaries in this House, but we are all Italian citizens and representatives of Italians and we will not accept attacks or threats against our government and our country. We call for unanimous condemnation on this.

Bonelli: 'We all say no to war'

After the Pd leader, Angelo Bonelli of Avs also intervened to say that 'Italia is a sovereign country and strongly rejects the interference that Trump has unfortunately been doing for a long time'. Bonelli also expressed solidarity with the Pope after the US president's words. "If the right wing now wants to stand with us to say no to the war we say, we stand and then we are united to say no to the war and tell Trump that he absolutely cannot condition Italian politics."

Conte: 'Meloni pays for ambiguity'

'I,' said Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Five Star Movement, 'had tried to warn that at least linearity and clarity can provide some shelter, rather than certain ambiguities that at some point, like all knots, come to the surface'.

Renzi: "Meloni's collapse has begun". Calenda: "The premier did what she had to do"

From Italia Viva, Matteo Renzi wrote on X that 'Giorgia Meloni is being dumped even by her own, by her guru, by her leader. Since after the referendum every day a problem. It will be 15 months of an inclined plane until the elections, the collapse has just begun'.

On the side of Action, however, Carlo Calenda defends the premier's words against the American president to defend the Pope. "He had the courage to do what had to be done a long time ago: to say enough of this madman. Which is already more than many others have done. And I really hope that in the face of this attack by Trump on our country we will all be united in rejecting it to the sender'.