US President Donald Trump was asked about his statements towards Pope Leo XIV, whom he has harshly criticized. Trump stood by his words, saying that he does not see any reason to apologize.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reacted sharply to US President Donald Trump's statements, describing his comments towards Pope Leo XIV as "unacceptable".
“I find President Trump’s words to the Holy Father unacceptable,” said Meloni, who is widely considered one of Trump’s key allies in Europe. She stressed that the Pope, as the head of the Catholic Church, has the right to call for peace and condemn any form of war.
The Iran War Clashes
Meloni's comments came after Trump publicly criticized Pope Leo XIV's stance on the Iran war. On Sunday night, he called the pope "terrible at foreign policy."
“We don’t like a Pope who thinks it’s okay to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters, adding: “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo.”
His comments have caused strong reactions, highlighting the tensions between politics and the moral authority of the Church.
The Vatican's reaction
On the other hand, Pope Leo XIV, who has been increasingly vocal about the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, rejected the criticism.
He declared that he is "not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out about the Gospel message," reaffirming his stance in defense of peace and against the escalation of war.
