Trump Eases Tensions With Meloni: I Appreciate Her Very Much, She Is a Very Good Person, But She Made a Mistake

Donald Trump struck a softer tone toward Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, describing her as a “very good person,” even as he repeated his reservations about her stance on the conflict in the Middle East.

The President of the United States spoke to the media in Ankara, shortly before the start of the NATO summit, where he responded to a question about his relationship with Meloni.

“She is a very good person. I appreciate her very much, but I think she made a mistake. She just was not there for us, and I did not like that,” Trump said, referring to Italy’s decision not to support the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

These comments come after strong tensions that have characterized the relationship between the two leaders in recent weeks. On Sunday, on his Truth Social platform, Trump posted a manipulated image of Giorgia Meloni, accompanied by the message “Restrictive measures needed,” while the Italian authorities chose not to issue any public reaction to that post.

Earlier, the White House chief had said that Meloni “is not doing well in Italy” and that she was losing the support of citizens. He had also stated that the Italian prime minister had asked him to take a photograph together during the G7 summit.

Although their relationship has recently been marked by clashes, until not long ago Giorgia Meloni was seen as one of Donald Trump’s closest allies in Europe.

At the same time, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who is alongside Meloni at the NATO summit in Ankara, said that the core issue remains protecting transatlantic relations, despite the recent disagreements between Rome and Washington.

The NATO summit is expected to create space for new contacts among the Alliance’s leaders, while the focus remains on developments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and relations among allies.