"I'm shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong." — Donald Trump, former US President, on Meloni's stance regarding the Iran conflict.
"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 she had the chance." — Donald Trump, further escalating his criticism of Meloni.
"We express our strongest condemnation — which I am certain will be unanimous in this chamber — of President Donald Trump's attack on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni." — Elly Schlein, leader of Italy's main opposition Democratic Party, condemning Trump's remarks and defending Meloni.
The unexpected public spat between Trump and Meloni has ignited a fierce debate, with many in Italy rallying behind the Prime Minister despite internal political differences. Opposition figures are unifying to defend national sovereignty against perceived foreign interference. The decision to suspend the Israel defense pact also draws mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a necessary shift in foreign policy driven by public pressure, while others, like Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, criticize Israel's government for losing allies.