US President Donald Trump posted a mocking image of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Truth Social with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED," escalating a public feud between the two leaders in early July 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Trump had previously claimed in late June 2026 that Meloni "begged" him for a photo at an April G7 summit, a statement Meloni strongly denied as "completely fabricated" [1, 7, 2, 3, 6].
Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s 2025 inauguration and was considered a close ally at that time [1, 7, 4, 5]. However, their relationship deteriorated after Meloni publicly criticized Trump in April for attacking Pope Leo over his condemnation of the Iran war [1, 7, 5]. Tensions worsened in March 2026 when Italy denied US military aircraft permission to land at the Sigonella base en route to the Middle East [7, 5]. Trump criticized Meloni for refusing to support US military efforts tied to the Iran conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz [2, 3, 5].
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto emphasized the longevity of alliances, stating, "People come and go but relationships remain," while Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said, "We have decided to stop responding to these remarks" as Italy sought to maintain transatlantic relations despite the disputes [1, 4, 5]. Opposition politician Carlo Calenda condemned Trump as a "despicable, cheap bully" in support of Meloni [1, 4].
At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, Trump moderated his tone somewhat, calling Meloni a "nice person" but reaffirmed his criticism of her stance, saying, "I think she's a good person, but our relationship soured because she refused to support us" [2, 3, 5]. Meloni declined to respond publicly to Trump's latest posts but her office said she would approach upcoming meetings with him pragmatically [7, 5].
Meloni defended her approach toward Trump, saying, "No, I absolutely don't regret anything I've done," expressing her continued belief in Western unity [7, 6]. The NATO summit marked the latest public stage for their diplomatic tensions, with meetings between the two leaders expected to continue amid unresolved disagreements [7, 2, 5].
