Ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey, former President Donald Trump reignited his public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, posting a photo of her on Truth Social with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED."
The two leaders, who previously shared a warmer relationship, are both attending the summit in Ankara. The latest exchange follows an earlier incident in June where Trump claimed Meloni "begged" him for a photo at the G7 summit. Meloni refuted this, stating that she and Italy "never beg."
Trump has also criticized Meloni for what he described as a lack of support for U.S. efforts against Iran and for not allowing U.S. forces to use Italy's landing strips, which he called a "great logistical inconvenience."
"She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!)," Trump wrote.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani commented on Trump's statements, saying, "We are convinced that transatlantic relations go far beyond individual statements."
Despite no U.S.-Italy bilateral meeting being scheduled during the summit, Trump and Meloni are expected to interact during NATO leaders' events.
Italy serves as a significant security hub for the U.S. in Europe, hosting approximately 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025.