By Elsie Kamsiyochi
A growing diplomatic rift between the United States and Italy has once again come into the spotlight after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over her government’s refusal to support American efforts during the Iran conflict. While Trump described Meloni as “a nice person,” he made it clear that he believes her decisions regarding Iran have damaged what was once considered one of his closest relationships with a European leader.
Speaking to reporters while attending the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said his relationship with the Italian prime minister had “become a little bad” because she declined to assist Washington during the crisis involving Iran. Although he emphasized that he still liked Meloni personally, he argued that she had made a serious political mistake by refusing to become involved.
The latest exchange marks another chapter in a dispute that has steadily intensified over recent months. Trump and Meloni were once viewed as natural political allies, sharing similar conservative positions on immigration, national sovereignty and other policy issues. Meloni was also the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration in 2025, a move that highlighted the close relationship they initially enjoyed.
However, that partnership has gradually deteriorated following disagreements over the Middle East conflict and a series of increasingly personal public comments.
Relations first took a significant turn after Trump claimed during an interview with Italian television that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph during a G7 summit in France. Meloni strongly rejected the allegation, accusing the U.S. president of inventing the story. The disagreement quickly became headline news in both countries and signaled a shift from friendly cooperation to public confrontation.
Tensions escalated further when Meloni criticized Trump for attacking Pope Leo after the pontiff condemned the Iran war. Trump responded by accusing the Italian government of refusing to help secure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes for global oil supplies.
The dispute also reflects deeper disagreements over military cooperation. Earlier this year, Italy refused permission for U.S. military aircraft to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily before deploying to the Middle East. Italian officials said Washington had not obtained the necessary authorization from Rome before requesting access to the base.
Trump has repeatedly pointed to that decision as evidence that Italy failed to support one of its closest allies during a period of heightened international tension.
The latest controversy was reignited over the weekend after Trump shared an image on his Truth Social platform showing Meloni looking toward him alongside the caption, “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED.” The post quickly attracted widespread attention and criticism, further straining relations just before both leaders traveled to Ankara for the NATO summit.
Despite Trump’s latest remarks, the Italian government has deliberately chosen not to respond with equally sharp rhetoric.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome has decided it will no longer engage with what he described as Trump’s repeated provocations, particularly those made on social media. According to Tajani, Italy remains committed to preserving strong relations with the United States and does not want public disputes to undermine decades of strategic cooperation between the two allies.
“Trump speaks for himself,” Tajani said, adding that the U.S. president frequently uses provocative language online and that Italy has chosen to stop responding publicly to such comments.
Officials in Meloni’s office also declined to comment directly on Trump’s latest criticism. However, a source close to the prime minister indicated that she has no intention of snubbing the American president during the NATO gathering. Instead, the source suggested Meloni understands how to navigate difficult diplomatic situations and could simply greet Trump “with a smile,” despite the recent tensions.
Political analysts say the disagreement highlights the increasingly complicated relationship between Washington and several European governments over the handling of the Iran conflict. While some NATO members have supported aspects of U.S. policy, others have sought to avoid deeper military involvement, arguing that diplomacy should remain the priority.
For Meloni, Trump’s criticism represents a particularly sensitive challenge because she had invested significant political effort in building a close personal relationship with the American president. Their ideological similarities once appeared to position Italy as one of Washington’s strongest European partners under Trump’s administration.
Even so, both governments continue to emphasize the importance of maintaining broader cooperation through NATO, security partnerships and economic ties despite the personal disagreements between their leaders.
As the NATO summit continues, attention will focus on whether Trump and Meloni can move beyond the public exchanges or whether their increasingly strained relationship will continue to influence cooperation between the United States and Italy on key international security issues.
Source Reuters
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