4 hours ago
A once-close alliance between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has come under strain, with the US President launching a blistering attack on her over Rome’s stance on the Iran war, energy security and remarks defending Pope Leo.
In an interview with Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera, Trump expressed shock and disappointment at his Nato ally, Meloni’s position, saying, “I’m shocked by her. I thought she had courage. I was wrong.” He added that she was “very different from what I thought” and accused her of failing to back US efforts in the conflict.
Trump criticised Meloni for refusing to support moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route blocked by Iran amid the war. “They pay the highest energy costs in the world and are not even ready to fight for the Strait of Hormuz. They depend on Donald Trump to keep it open,” he said.
Escalating his attack, Trump questioned Italy’s commitment to Western security, saying, “Giorgia Meloni doesn’t want to help us in the war, I’m shocked. Do people like the fact that your president isn’t doing anything to get the oil?”
He also claimed he had not spoken to her “in a long time” and accused her of failing to support Washington within Nato and efforts to curb nuclear threats.
Continuing his tirade on Meloni, Trump said, “She is the one who is unacceptable, because she does not care whether Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow Italy up in two minutes if it had the chance.”
He asserted that Meloni was “no longer the same person and Italy will never be the same country.”
The criticism marks a dramatic shift from just a month ago, when Trump had described Meloni as “a great leader” and a close ally. Meloni was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in January 2025.
The fallout comes after Meloni distanced herself from Washington’s Iran policy, refused to allow US fighters to use an airbase in Sicily for operations and criticised Trump’s sharp remarks against Pope Leo, calling them “unacceptable.” Meloni also suspended the automatic renewal of Italy's defence cooperation agreement with Israel.
Trump also took aim at Pope Leo, saying the pontiff “has no idea what’s happening in Iran” and should refrain from commenting on the war.
The White House declined to comment on Trump's remarks, while Meloni’s office remained silent.
However, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni, stressing that Western unity must be based on “loyalty, respect and mutual frankness” and backing her criticism of Trump’s comments on the pope.
The war in the Gulf and rising energy prices have put Italy in a difficult position, with Meloni seeking to distance her government from the conflict even as pressure mounts from Washington – turning what was once a close political partnership into an increasingly strained relationship.
- Ends
(with inputs from Reuters)
Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Apr 14, 2026 23:36 IST
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