Trump Says “I Like Her” About Meloni Amid Growing US-Italy Spat

As the NATO summit begins in Ankara, Turkey, Donald Trump’s distinctive brand of social media diplomacy is on display. Trump tried to smooth things over after igniting a mini-firestorm online with a meme about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while speaking to reporters. But his “apology” carried a healthy dose of blunt criticism.

The public back-and-forth as they tried to project a unified front for the cameras underscores how deeply personal grudges can disrupt high-level international meetings.

  "Nice Person" to "Order of Restraint"

The drama started over the weekend when Trump posted an edited image on Truth Social showing Meloni gazing up at him, accompanied by the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED".

When reporters in Ankara pressed him on the post, Trump uncharacteristically tried to de-escalate, although he couldn’t resist laying out his grievances:

The Softened Stance: “I think she’s a nice person, actually,” Trump told the press corps. I like her... but I think she was wrong.

The heart of the matter: Trump publicly stated that their relationship had soured because Italy did not support recent U.S. military actions related to Iran, including Rome’s refusal to allow the U.S. Air Force to use the Sigonella airbase in Sicily to refuel.

The tension isn't entirely new. A Growing History of Jabs The two leaders have been trading barbs since a previous summit where Trump claimed Meloni "begged" him for a photograph, a claim Meloni sharply rejected as "completely fabricated", firing back that "Italy and I never beg".

 Italy’s Silent Counter-Strategy

The Italian government is taking a high road in the face of very public and very personal barbs from the American president. Meloni’s senior ministers are visibly trying to shrug off the social media jabs to protect their wider strategic alliance with Washington.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani refused to take the bait, saying firmly that "transatlantic relations go far beyond individual statements". Tajani said Italy has simply decided not to answer these internet provocations, looking past the drama.

The Ally First Model: Likewise, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto dismissed the Truth Social meme, saying, "People come and go, but relationships remain." Instead, Rome is opting to maintain its focus on the critical defence and economic relations between the two countries, rather than being caught up in an endless string of online arguments.

The Big Picture: An interesting twist in the public break-up. The Big Picture: An interesting twist in the public break-up. Meloni, once Europe’s top “Trump whisperer", a right-wing leader who knew how to play his personality, is now being tested. Meloni, once Europe’s top “Trump whisperer", a right-wing leader who knew how to play his personality, is now being tested. Her readiness to call out Washington on major geopolitical issues like Iran demonstrates that European leaders are more inclined to prioritise their own regional interests, even at the risk of a public rebuke from the White House. Her readiness to call out Washington on major geopolitical issues like Iran demonstrates that European leaders are more inclined to prioritise their own regional interests, even at the risk of a public rebuke from the White House.