Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni’s alliance may have turned sour.
'She’s No Longer the Same..': Trump Launches Brutal Attack on Ally He Once Called ‘Beautiful’
It appears that President Donald Trump has found himself at odds with yet another world leader. This time, it involves Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Despite previously being on good terms with each other, the duo's professional relationship seems to have taken a hit following the United States' war with Iran and Trump's recent comments about Pope Leo XIV.
Notably, Trump had also previously clashed with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron over support for the United States amid the Iran conflict.
The rift with Meloni, however, began after she criticized Trump's remarks about the pope.
What Triggered Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni's War of Words?
On Sunday, April 12, Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself being portrayed as a Jesus Christ-like figure, in a post on his Truth Social account.
Several religious leaders, including the pope, expressed their disapproval of the president's post.
Trump, on the other hand, slammed Pope Leo for saying that the “delusion of omnipotence” is triggering America’s military conflict with Iran.
Following this, Meloni publicly called out Trump for the latter's criticism of the pope.
The Italian prime minister called Trump's remarks “unacceptable” and said that the pope has every right to speak about peace and condemn war.
According to EuroNews, Meloni said, “The pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to condemn all forms of war.”
She further defended the role of the Catholic Church in global matters.
Trump, however, didn't take matters lightly as he hit back at the 49-year-old during a telephonic interview.
Speaking with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, April 14, Trump said, “It’s [she] who’s unacceptable because she doesn’t mind that Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if they had the chance.”
He further asked, “Do Italians like the fact that your prime minister isn’t giving us any help to get oil?”
“Do people like her? I can’t imagine. I’m shocked by her. I thought she was brave, but I was wrong. She’s no longer the same person, and Italy will never be the same country again. Immigration is killing Italy and all of Europe,” Trump stated.
'You Don’t Mind Being Called Beautiful, Right?'
Donald Trump calls Giorgia Meloni 'beautiful' during a 2025 summit in Egypt.
However, things haven't always been this complicated between Trump and Meloni.
The two global leaders were once seen as close political allies who attended several events together. A notable interaction occurred during a summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025.
On the occasion, world leaders had gathered to discuss the Israel-Gaza conflict and find ways to stop the violence.
However, during the event, Trump shifted focus from politics for a brief amount of time and commented on Meloni’s appearance.
“We have a woman, a young woman, who’s a… I’m not allowed to say it, because usually it’s the end of your political career if you say she’s a beautiful young woman,” Trump said.
“Now, if you use the word beautiful in the United States, about a woman, that’s the end of your political career, but I’ll take my chances,” the president added.
Trump then turned toward Meloni and asked, “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are.”
While the president's comment drew attention, many critics opined that it felt inappropriate at a serious global meeting.