Italian opposition leader Schlein defended PM Meloni against Trump’s claims she ‘lacked courage’ over Iran, telling him: ‘We Italians will not accept attacks from your bad mouth’
Italy’s government has united against what it calls Donald Trump’s ‘bad mouth’ as Giorgia Meloni’s political rivals rallied behind her following the falling-out between the two world leaders.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump turned on his close ally Meloni, accusing her of lacking ‘courage’ for refusing to join the US in its assault on Iran.
The remarks emerged amid mounting tensions between the two nations following US President Trump’s strike against Pope Leo.
Standing up for her country, Italian opposition leader Schlein threw her support behind Meloni “for having dutifully expressed solidarity with Pope Leo.”
The chamber erupted in applause as she pressed on, reiterating that Trump’s conduct is wholly unacceptable.
She declared: “Listen, Trump, even as political opponents, we Italians will not accept any attacks against our country, especially from your bad mouth.
“No foreign head of state can allow himself to attack or threaten or show disrespect to our country and our government.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,” in a pointed dig at Meloni.
“Giorgia Meloni doesn’t want to help us in the war. I’m shocked,” Trump continued. “Do people like the fact that your president isn’t doing anything to get the oil [in Iran]? Does she like it? I can’t imagine.”
The US president’s broadside came as Italy confirmed it would not be renewing its defence agreement with Israel. The prime minister announced that her government had chosen to suspend the renewal, which takes place every five years, owing to “the current situation”.
Italy called in the Israeli ambassador to Rome last week following the firing of warning shots by Israeli forces at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.
One vehicle sustained damage, though no injuries were reported.
Israel subsequently summoned Italy’s ambassador on Monday in protest at remarks made by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who condemned Israel’s “unacceptable attacks” in Lebanon.
Numerous countries in recent years have halted arms exports to Israel, yet Meloni’s right-wing coalition government has remained amongst Israel’s closest European allies.
This shift, alongside her condemnation of Trump’s remarks directed at the Pope — whom he claims is not “doing a very good job” and should “stop catering to the radical left” — has opened up fractures in the relationship between Italy and the US.
Meloni hit back at these comments, stating she would feel uneasy in a world where religious leaders were expected to take their cue from political figures, adding that the president’s remarks were “unacceptable”.
The Italian Prime Minister, weighing in on the war of words between Mr Trump and Pope Leo XIV, declared: “I find President Trump’s words about the Holy Father unacceptable.
“The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and condemn all forms of war.” In response, Trump hit back, saying: “She is the one who is unacceptable, because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.”
Despite the rift between them, Meloni still referred to Washington as a “priority ally”, while making clear that this doesn’t obligate her to side with Trump on every issue.
She remarked: “When you are friends, particularly strategic allies, you must also have the courage to say when you disagree.”
