After more Trump criticisms of pontiff, Italy's foreign minister says attacks on Pope Leo 'not acceptable'

Italy's foreign minister on Tuesday pushed back against US President Donald Trump's latest criticisms of Pope Leo XIV, saying attacks on the pontiff are "neither acceptable nor helpful to the cause of peace."

"The attacks against the Holy Father @Pontifex_it, head and spiritual guide of the Catholic Church, are neither acceptable nor helpful to the cause of peace," Tajani wrote on US social media company X, expressing solidarity with the holy father.

He added that the pope's words and actions promote "dialogue, the value of human life, and freedom," values that Italy’s government also seeks to advance through diplomacy.

Tajani's remarks came after Trump accused the pope of "endangering a lot of Catholics," claiming that the pontiff "thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt.

The comments mark the latest escalation in tensions between the White House and the Vatican, following earlier criticism by the pope of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The dispute also comes ahead of a planned meeting at the Vatican between Leo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.