Tension between Washington and Rome. Trump hits out at Meloni: I thought he had courage. I was wrong

US President Donald Trump told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Tuesday that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni does not want to help the United States in the war with Iran. He emphasized that he was “shocked” by this.

Trump said in a telephone conversation with an Italian newspaper that Meloni “does not want to help (the United States) get rid of nuclear weapons.” He added that the head of the government in Rome does not want to help, just like NATO.

The American leader admitted that he had not spoken to Meloni for a long time. “It's very different than I thought” – said the US president. “This is not the same person, and Italy will not be the same country,” he said.

I'm shocked by her. I thought he had courage. I was wrong, Trump added, referring to Italy's lack of involvement in the war with Iran.

After Meloni called Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV unacceptable, the US president said that what the Italian prime minister was doing was “unacceptable.”

“She doesn't care if Iran has nuclear weapons or that it would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance,” Trump said. He also expressed the opinion that “the pope has no idea what is happening in Iran.”

“He doesn't understand and shouldn't speak about the warbecause he doesn't know what's going on there. He doesn't understand that last month they killed 42,000 people in Iran. demonstrators,” said the US president.

Donald Trump outraged by lack of support in the conflict with Iran

The Italian authorities did not agree in March to the landing of American bombers at the Sigonella air base in Sicily. Meloni argued that in this case, the Italian side “scrupulously complied with the treaties and agreements regulating relations with the USA.”

The US president on Sunday strongly criticized the pope on his Truth Social social media platform and in a later conversation with journalists at the Andrews military base near Washington. He wrote that Leo XIV was “weak on crime and other things” and “terrible in foreign policy”. Trump also published an artificial intelligence-generated graphic showing himself dressed in Jesus' robes. The image was removed from the president's account on Monday.

Leo XIV told reporters on Monday that he would continue calling for peace and speaking out against war. He also said that he was not afraid of the US administration and did not intend to enter into a discussion with Trump. (PAP)

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