Trump escalates feud with Meloni ahead of NATO summit

Donald Trump intensified his public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, posting a meme on Truth Social that read "Restraining order needed" alongside a photo of Meloni gazing at him. The post came days after Trump claimed Meloni had begged him for a photo at the G7 – a claim she denied as "invented" Source: elcolombiano, infobae.

The photo controversy

Trump's latest jab references the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, where he told an Italian journalist that Meloni repeatedly asked for a photo and he agreed "out of pity." Meloni responded on Instagram, saying "Italy and I will never beg" and called the attacks "absurd" Source: elmundoes, elcaribedr. The spat marks a sharp reversal from their previously warm relationship, with Meloni having been Trump's only European leader at his inauguration Source: larepublicaco.

Iran and the NATO context

The broader rift stems from Italy refusing to allow US bases on its soil to be used for airstrikes against Iran – a move Trump criticized as a mistake. At the summit, Trump softened his tone briefly, saying Meloni is "a good person, in reality," but added she "made a mistake" on Iran Source: emolcl, cnn. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto downplayed the personal attacks, urging focus on maintaining "stable relations with the United States" Source: elcolombiano, emolcl.

Reactions and strategy

Italy's government opted not to respond to the meme, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying such statements "speak for themselves" and affirming that transatlantic ties transcend personal spats Source: elmundoes, clarin. Spanish far-right leader Santiago Abascal defended Meloni, arguing Trump "cannot treat allies as vassals" Source: infobae. The NATO summit itself addresses defense spending and the US footprint in Europe, with Italy planning to raise its military expenditure to 2.8% of GDP Source: abces.