U.S. President Donald Trump told an Italian newspaper on Tuesday that he was "shocked" by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and had expected her to display greater courage, delivering a blunt public rebuke to a leader who had been one of his most outspoken European supporters.
In comments published by Corriere della Sera, Trump said Meloni was "very different from what I thought" and criticized her for declining to assist in efforts to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, which the article said has been blocked by Iran. "Im shocked by her. I thought she had courage. I was wrong," he is quoted as saying in the Italian-language piece posted online.
Meloni has raised objections to some of the president's actions. The article notes she criticized his decision to go to war with Iran and on Monday described his weekend remarks about Pope Leo as "unacceptable." When asked about her condemnation of his comments on the pope, Trump is quoted as responding: "She is the one who is unacceptable, because she does not care whether Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow Italy up in two minutes if it had the chance."
The White House declined to comment on the reported quotes and Meloni's office also declined to comment, according to the article. The exchange represents a marked change in tone from the president. Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump's 2025 inauguration, and only last month he told Corriere della Sera that Meloni was "a great leader." On Tuesday he accused her of failing to back U.S. efforts on energy security and Iran, and said Italy wanted America "to do the job for her."
Political repercussions for Meloni are outlined in the article. It says she had hoped that a close relationship with the U.S. president would bolster her standing at home and abroad, but that association now risks becoming a political liability. The article cites polling indicating that some 66% of Italians now hold a negative view of the U.S. leader, and that pollsters believe Meloni's ties to the White House may have contributed to her defeat last month in a referendum on judicial reform.
The article also links the conflict in Iran to economic effects in Italy. It states the war has pushed up energy prices in a country heavily dependent on oil and gas imports. Trump is quoted as saying: "They (Italy) pay the highest energy costs in the world and are not even ready to fight for the Strait of Hormuz... They depend on Donald Trump to keep it open."
This public spat highlights tensions between strategic alignment and domestic political calculation. The article provides direct quotes and reported reactions, while noting that official spokespeople for both Washington and Rome declined to comment on the published interview.
Key takeaways
- President Trump publicly criticized Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying he was "shocked" and had expected greater courage from her.
- The dispute centers on Italy's response to the Iran conflict and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, with energy security cited as a core concern.
- Meloni's close relationship with Trump, once a potential political asset, may now carry domestic political costs amid negative public sentiment and a recent referendum loss.
Contextual note
The article reports the comments as published in Corriere della Sera and records denials of comment from both the White House and Meloni's office. It contains direct quotes attributed to the president and cites poll-related outcomes and domestic energy impacts as reported.