Trump: Italy's prime minister is "nice", but was wrong about Iran

During the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit taking place between this Tuesday (7) and Wednesday (8), US President Donald Trump described Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as a "nice person", but criticized her for not helping in the conflict with Iran.

These are the most recent statements in a diplomatic dispute that has strained bilateral relations.

Meloni was once considered a close ally of Trump, but the relationship cooled last month when the US president told Italian TV channel La7 that the prime minister had "begged" to take a photo with him during a G7 summit in France. She denied the claim and accused him of making up the story.

She had criticized him earlier this year for attacking Pope Leo over his condemnation of the war in Iran. This, in turn, resulted in a response from Trump, who criticized her for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The president said his relationship with Meloni "got a little bad because she refused to help us" regarding Iran.

"She refused to get involved, so that hurt my relationship with her a little bit. But I like her. I think she's a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake," Trump told reporters in Turkey, where he is attending a NATO summit.

Trump provokes Giorgia Meloni again before NATO summit | CNN PRIME TIME

In March, Italy denied permission for US military aircraft to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily before heading to the Middle East, as Washington had not requested prior authorization from the government in Rome.

The American leader had been questioned about a photo he posted on the social network Truth Social over the weekend, showing Meloni looking at him with the caption "NEEDS A RESTRAINING ORDER" - a gesture that reignited the dispute with the Italian prime minister ahead of the NATO meeting in Ankara, in which they were both taking part.

Meloni will not "take the bait"
During the conflict with Iran, Trump also attacked other European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was equally critical of the war.

However, Trump's rebuke was a painful blow to Meloni, who initially tried to build a close relationship with him, taking advantage of the affinity of their political views. She was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025.

The Italian government chose not to react to the most recent attack on Truth Social, with ministers pledging to avoid fueling tensions that could harm bilateral relations.

"Trump speaks for himself. We have a US president who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these comments," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told La Stampa newspaper on Tuesday.

Meloni's office declined to comment on how she would act when meeting Trump in Ankara. A source close to her, who asked not to be identified, ruled out the possibility of her ignoring Trump, saying she knows how to deal with situations like this and could instead greet him "with a smile."

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Source: CNN