"We Cannot Tolerate Insults Against the Pope": Italian Prime Minister Issues First Criticism of Trump

[Financial News] A political storm is spreading across the Italian government, political circles, and the broader Catholic community over President of the United States Donald Trump's criticism of the Pope.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the 13th local time, Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni publicly criticized Trump's remarks for the first time, calling them "unacceptable." Meloni stated, "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is entirely within his role to call for peace and to criticize war."
Earlier, President of the United States Donald Trump used the social media platform Truth Social to attack Pope Leo XIV, saying he was "weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy." Trump went on to say, "I do not think he is doing a good job," repeating his criticism. He also argued that the Pope was "weak" on nuclear issues, citing the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear development as an example.
Because Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has maintained a political alliance with Trump, she had previously refrained from open criticism. Her latest comments are therefore seen as a shift in stance. Italian opposition parties, however, argue that Meloni's response came too late and are intensifying their criticism.
Matteo Salvini, a coalition partner in the government, also distanced himself from Trump, saying, "Attacking the Pope is neither useful nor wise."
The Pope, for his part, sought to avoid a direct confrontation. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane en route to the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Pope Leo XIV said, "I do not want to enter into a debate with Trump," adding, "The role of the Church is to deliver a message of peace." He continued, "There are too many people suffering because of war," once again urging efforts to ease conflicts.
Trump even questioned the process by which the Pope was elected, claiming, "If I had not been in the White House, he would not be in the Vatican City State." In response, the Pope said, "I am not afraid of any government," making clear that he intends to continue speaking out.
Criticism has also come from within the Catholic community. Italian Catholic scholar Massimo Faggioli pointed out, "Not even Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini attacked the Pope so openly."
Experts note that it is rare for the Pope to respond directly to remarks by a world leader, and they view this as an unusually sharp clash. With roughly 70 million Catholics in the United States of America (US), the political impact is expected to be significant.

km@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Kyung-min Reporter