Meloni breaks ranks with Trump in defence of Pope Leo as Vatican row sparks political firestorm

Rome — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned US President Donald Trump’s attack on Pope Leo XIV as “unacceptable”, joining politicians across the political spectrum in an unusually unified defence of the pontiff and triggering a rare public rupture between Rome and Washington.

 The statement marks an extraordinary departure for Meloni, who has cultivated close ties with Trump and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025. Her intervention underscores mounting political and public anger in Italy after the US president launched a verbal assault on the Pope and escalated tensions with an AI-generated image depicting himself in a Jesus-like pose, which sparked accusations of blasphemy.

Trump provoked widespread outrage after describing Pope Leo as “terrible” in a lengthy tirade, later telling Italian media that he was “shocked and disappointed” by Meloni, whom he accused of abandoning shared priorities on Iran, NATO and global security. He added that she was “no longer the same person” he once believed showed political courage.

The trigger for the confrontation was Meloni’s public defence of Pope Leo, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. She had previously said she would not feel comfortable in a world where religious leaders were expected to follow political directives, prompting Trump to retort that it was the Italian leader herself who was “unacceptable”.

Pope Leo responded swiftly to the controversy, telling reporters he had “no fear” of the US administration and pledging to continue speaking out against war, including what he described as US led actions involving Iran, as well as in defence of migrants.

Meloni initially issued a brief statement of support for the Pope as she departed for a four nation tour of Africa, but following criticism from opposition parties for failing to directly confront Trump, she later issued a firmer clarification.

“I find President Trump’s words towards the Holy Father unacceptable,” she said. “The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and condemn every form of war.”

The diplomatic fallout has exposed strains within Italy’s governing coalition and broader centre right. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stressed that alliance with the United States did not mean unconditional agreement, while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani insisted that Western unity is built on mutual respect and frankness.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who has previously aligned himself with Trump, also distanced himself from the US president, saying that attacking the Pope was neither wise nor helpful.

Opposition leaders seized on the controversy to show rare unity with the government. Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, said Italy would not accept threats or attacks against its institutions, while former prime minister Paolo Gentiloni called Trump’s remarks unacceptable.

Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione party, praised Meloni for showing the courage to say enough to this madness, while Movimento 5 Stelle parliamentary leader Riccardo Ricciardi said the attacks were a predictable consequence of Meloni’s earlier alignment with Trump’s political orbit.

Former prime minister Matteo Renzi was more scathing, warning that Meloni’s international standing was weakening and suggesting she was being politically abandoned even by allies.

The Vatican itself has framed the episode as evidence of moral authority rather than confrontation. Father Antonio Spadaro, a senior Vatican official, said Trump’s reaction demonstrated that the Pope’s voice matters precisely because it is being challenged, adding that the Church does not seek power but judges it.

Church historians also pointed to Italy’s long tradition of papal resilience in the face of political pressure. Alberto Melloni noted that attempts to confront the papacy have historically backfired on secular rulers, citing the proverb “chi mangia papa crepa” whoever tries to devour the Pope perishes.

Analysts in Rome say the episode may have broader geopolitical consequences. With Italian public opinion strongly critical of Trump, Meloni now appears to be recalibrating her foreign policy stance in response to domestic pressure and shifting global alignments.

What began as a defence of the Pope has rapidly evolved into a wider diplomatic and political rupture, exposing the fragility of transatlantic relationships and placing Meloni in a delicate balancing act between ideological allies abroad and political realities at home.

PS