Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has declared that Donald Trump’s comments concerning Pope Leo XIV were “unacceptable.” The former US president had previously accused the pontiff of being “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a lengthy post on Truth Social.
Meloni, a Catholic herself and the head of a right-wing coalition, has maintained a close alliance with Trump. She had previously appeared hesitant to publicly denounce the US president’s sharp criticisms of Pope Leo. However, speaking from a statement, Meloni articulated, “The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to condemn every form of war.”
These remarks from Italian opposition parties had highlighted Meloni’s delayed response in speaking out. Matteo Salvini, a partner in Meloni’s coalition and the leader of the populist League party, also commented that “attacking the Pope… doesn’t seem like a useful or intelligent thing to do.”
Following Trump’s statements, Pope Leo, while en route to Algeria, indicated to reporters that he did not intend to engage in a debate with Trump. He affirmed his continued commitment to promoting peace.
Pope Leo had previously expressed having “no fear” of the Trump administration and stated his intention to continue speaking out against war. This followed an unusual and severe criticism from the US president regarding the Pope’s stance on the Iran conflict. The pontiff has been a firm critic of the Iran war, deeming Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization as “unacceptable.” He called on Trump to find an “off-ramp” to conclude the conflict.
On Monday, Trump reiterated his criticisms, stating he would not offer an apology to the “very weak” Pope. Historically, it is uncommon for a Pope to directly address the statements made by world leaders.
The United States is home to over 70 million Catholics, representing approximately 20% of the population. This demographic includes Trump’s Vice President, JD Vance.
Trump’s comments surfaced as the pontiff commenced an 11-day tour of Africa, marking his second significant international journey since his election last year. In his Sunday post, Trump suggested that the Pope “should get his act together” and characterized him as “weak on nuclear weapons.” This appeared to reference Tehran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities, cited as a contributing factor to the US and Israel engaging in war with Iran.
Trump also implied that the pontiff’s election was a result of him being American, suggesting this was perceived as the most effective approach for dealing with President Donald J. Trump. He further stated, “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”
When reporters questioned him about the post, Trump later elaborated, “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.” He added that the Pope is “a very liberal person, and he’s a man who doesn’t believe in stopping crime, he’s a man who doesn’t believe we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.”
In response, Pope Leo communicated to reporters on his flight to Algiers that his role is not that of a politician but rather to disseminate the message of peace. “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do,” he stated. He reiterated, “I don’t want to get into a debate with [Trump].” He continued, “Too many people are suffering in the world today. Too many innocent people are being killed. And I think someone has to stand up and say: there’s a better way to do this.”
During a subsequent speech, the pontiff criticized “continuous violations of international law and neocolonial tendencies,” urging leaders to adopt principles of justice and solidarity.
Trump’s remarks also provoked criticism from Catholics globally. Prominent Italian Catholic commentator Massimo Faggioli remarked that the comments were unparalleled in their directness and public nature, even when compared to the historical interactions between the Papacy and figures like Hitler or Mussolini during World War Two. “Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly,” Faggioli stated.
The Pope has consistently used public addresses to condemn global conflicts and advocate for de-escalation in the Middle East. When Trump issued a threat toward Iran, stating that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” the Pope responded by calling the statement “truly unacceptable.”
Furthermore, the Pope has voiced criticism of Trump’s stringent immigration policies. He questioned the alignment of being “pro-life” – a term typically associated with opposition to abortion – with support for what he described as the “inhuman treatment of immigrants.”
Pope Leo is widely seen as continuing the humanitarian legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Pope Francis had famously stated during the 2016 election campaign that Trump was “not Christian,” citing his anti-immigrant rhetoric. Trump, in turn, had referred to the late Pope as “disgraceful.”