Italy on Monday brushed off Donald Trump’s latest attack on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, even as the row between the two right-wing leaders deepened ahead of this week’s NATO summit.

Trump had posted a doctored image on Truth Social on Sunday, showing Meloni looking at him adoringly, with the caption “Restraining Order Needed”.

The post prompted a quick response from Rome, where cabinet ministers framed the matter as a question of diplomacy rather than personal sparring.

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A measured reply with velvet gloves

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was the bluntest in his response, telling Sky TG24, “People come and go but relations must endure.”

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani struck a more restrained tone, saying he was “sure that transatlantic relations go well beyond individual comments”.

Meloni herself did not reply directly to Trump’s latest post, but the government’s response made clear that Rome did not intend to let the latest exchange derail broader ties with Washington.

Yesterday’s words cast today’s shadow

The latest clash follows a similar episode after last month’s G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, where Trump claimed Meloni had “begged” him for a photo opportunity and said he agreed because he “felt sorry for her”.

He also said, “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her,” according to a transcript reported by Italian broadcaster La7. Meloni pushed back forcefully, calling Trump’s comments “completely made up” and saying she was “frankly astonished” by the remarks.

“I can only say that it’s a shame he doesn’t show the same resolve toward the enemies of the West, toward the enemies of the United States — towards leaders with whom he, on the other hand, is much more accommodating. But there’s one thing he must remember: Italy and I do not beg,” she said.

Looking ahead to NATO

The fallout has already had diplomatic consequences. The dispute triggered tension between the two countries soon after the G7 episode, with Tajani cancelling a scheduled visit to the US that month.

Trump and Meloni are now expected to cross paths at the NATO meeting in Ankara, where the US president has also been critical of European allies over defence commitments.

For now, Italy is signalling that it wants the wider transatlantic relationship to outlast the personal feud.

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FAQs

Q1: Why did Italy respond to Donald Trump’s comments about Giorgia Meloni?

Ans: Italy responded after Donald Trump shared a social media post targeting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with officials stressing that diplomatic ties should rise above personal remarks.

Q2: What did Donald Trump say about Giorgia Meloni?

Ans: Trump posted a doctored image of Meloni on Truth Social with the caption “Restraining Order Needed,” following earlier remarks about her after the G7 summit.