U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for her refusal to support Washington during the conflict with Iran, asserting that this stance has led to a decline in their relationship, despite his praise for her personality.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump stated that his relationship with Meloni "has somewhat deteriorated because she refused to help the United States," adding, "I admire her... she is actually a nice person, but I think she made a mistake."
This escalation follows a series of tensions between the two sides in recent weeks. Trump previously claimed that Meloni "begged" him for a photo during the G7 summit, a claim the Italian Prime Minister denied, accusing him of fabricating the story.
Trump also criticized Rome for refusing to contribute to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Italy had previously refused in March to allow U.S. military aircraft to use the Sigonella airbase in Sicily en route to the Middle East, citing the lack of prior approval from the Italian government.
Prior to the NATO summit, tensions rose when Trump posted a photo of Meloni with a sarcastic caption on the "Truth Social" platform, drawing media attention.
In contrast, the Italian government avoided directly responding to the U.S. president's remarks. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani affirmed that Trump "speaks for himself," describing him as prone to making provocative statements, while Rome preferred not to escalate the dispute to preserve bilateral relations.