Italian PM Meloni says she has "cordial relations" with Trump after US President calls her a "nice person"
Ankara, July 8
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday said she has "cordial relations" with US President Donald Trump, following weeks of tensions between the two leaders, CNN reported.
Speaking to Italian reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey, Meloni made the remarks after a recent public spat with Trump, according to CNN.
The tensions followed Trump's claim that Meloni had "begged" him for a photograph during the G7 summit in Evian, France. Meloni rejected the allegation, and the episode prompted Italy's foreign minister to cancel a planned visit to the United States, CNN reported.
Meloni's comments came hours after Trump described her as a "nice person" during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, while acknowledging that their relationship had recently deteriorated over Italy's refusal to support US military efforts against Iran.
"I think she's a nice person; actually, we've had a good week. We had a bad relationship. It became a little bad because she refused to help us again," Trump said, according to CNN.
"I think she's a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake," he added, referring to Italy's decision not to assist the United States in the conflict with Iran.
Trump said he did not put "heavy press" on Meloni to provide assistance, but admitted that Italy's refusal "soured" their relationship "a little bit."
The remarks followed Trump's Truth Social post on Sunday, in which he shared a photograph with Meloni and captioned it, "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED."
The disagreement marked a sharp shift in relations between the two leaders, who had previously maintained cordial ties. Trump had also criticised several NATO allies, including Italy, for declining to back US military operations against Iran despite longstanding American security commitments.
Despite the recent exchanges, Italy remains a key US ally within NATO. Meloni has previously stressed that bilateral ties between the two countries transcend individual leaders.
"These relationships don't begin or end because of who happens to be in power at a particular moment," Meloni had said, adding, "Foreign policy is more complex than that."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Why is Italy being dragged into US-Iran conflicts? NATO is supposed to be defensive, not a tool for American adventures. Meloni is right to step back. We in India also value strategic autonomy - not everyone wants to be America's cheerleader.
Honestly, Trump's behavior is embarrassing for America. Calling a foreign leader "nice" after insulting her? Meloni showed more maturity. But let's see if this hurts NATO unity at a time when threats from Russia and others are real.
"RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED" - Trump posting that on social media is so childish. Imagine if our PM did that to a foreign leader. Meloni is right to keep calm and focus on substance. World leaders should act like adults, not Twitter trolls. 🙄
Let's be real - Italy has its own interests. Why should they back US operations against Iran if it doesn't serve them? Meloni's stance is pragmatic. The US needs to learn that allies aren't subordinates. Good on her for standing firm.
As an Indian watching this, it's fascinating how US-Europe relations work. Trump treats allies like enemies and enemies like allies. Meloni's comment about foreign policy being "more complex" is spot on - relationships between nations shouldn't depend on personal egos. 👏
A We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.