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"Honeymoon's over": Growing rift between Trump and Meloni in wake of Pope criticism

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 16 Apr 2026, 9:00am
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. (Photo by Massimo Di Vita/Archivio Massimo Di Vita/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. (Photo by Massimo Di Vita/Archivio Massimo Di Vita/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

"Honeymoon's over": Growing rift between Trump and Meloni in wake of Pope criticism

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Thu, 16 Apr 2026, 9:00am

There’s astonishment at the Pope standing up for himself against Donald Trump. 

The US President accused Pope Leo of being terrible for foreign policy on Monday after the pontiff's criticism of the war on Iran and immigration crackdowns. 

Italy correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking the Pope's reaction was quite incredible. 

She thought he'd avoid the matter, but confronted it head on instead, showing he has no fear of Trump. 

But the fallout from the rift between the US President and the Pope is growing, as one of Trump’s closest allies speaks out.  

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says she disagrees with his comments, meanwhile, Trump says Meloni lacks courage, in light of her failure to join the US attacks on Iran. 

McKenna told Hosking it's fair to say the honeymoon stage is over, but this could be a gift for Meloni, as her voters generally don't like her relationship with Trump. 

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