Donald Trump publicly criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for not assisting the United States during the Iran war.
On July 7, during a NATO summit in Turkey, Trump told reporters, "Our relationship has soured a bit because Meloni refused to help us on the Iran issue."
He added, "He refused to get involved, and that’s why my relationship with him has become a bit strained. I like him; he’s a good guy, but I think he made a mistake."
Italy did not allow U.S. military aircraft to land at a Sicilian airbase in March before heading to the Middle East, citing that the U.S. had not requested prior approval for base usage.
The two leaders were once seen as close political allies. However, their relationship has been shaken not only by the issue of cooperation on the Iran war but also by Trump's mocking remarks.
Recently, Trump stirred controversy by posting a photo on social media of Meloni looking up at him, captioned with the phrase, "A restraining order is needed."
The Italian government has refrained from retaliating. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated, "We decided not to escalate the controversy, and we are friends with the United States and will continue to be."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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