(BERLIN) – A diplomatic feud between United States President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has escalated into a full-blown public confrontation, with both leaders exchanging increasingly personal attacks that threaten to disrupt transatlantic relations.
The dispute began at the G7 summit in France last week, where Trump claimed in a television interview that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph. In a video address, Meloni responded forcefully, stating: “Donald Trump’s declarations are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned. But there is one thing he must remember. Italy and I do not beg.”
Trump did not walk back his comments, instead posting on social media: “Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked over and over for a picture with me during the G7 meeting in France. She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon.”
Meloni replied: “These constant unprovoked attacks are senseless. As for my popularity, being your friend certainly has not helped it. My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”
The underlying tension predates the G7 dispute. In March 2026, Italy refused to allow United States bombers to use an air base in Italy to strike Iran, with Meloni insisting on following proper legal procedures, including parliamentary approval. Trump was reportedly furious. Italy’s Foreign Minister subsequently cancelled a planned visit to Washington, stating: “I was forced to make the decision to cancel my visit to the United States because we cannot allow anyone to insult Italy in the way the president of the United States has done.”
Alina Trabatoni, a journalist in Naples, told DW News that ordinary Italians had taken the dispute personally, with a sense of hurt, outrage and betrayal. Some political analysts suggested the feud had a “whiff of chauvinism” and that Meloni’s decision to respond so directly may have been personal rather than purely political. Meloni’s approval ratings have been rising in recent weeks and are higher than those of her centre-left opposition leader and some centre-right allies.
Matteo Garavoglia, a professor at Sanyal University Beijing and senior research associate at the University of Oxford, said Meloni had styled herself as a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration, but that bridge had now collapsed. He argued that European leaders were shifting from trust-based to transaction-based diplomacy, and that a tougher Meloni could be more useful to Europe than a friendly one, as demonstrating independence might enhance credibility both in Europe and Washington.
Garavoglia said the underlying debate remained about burden sharing and military readiness rather than personal relationships. He warned that public political clashes could divert attention from critical security decisions requiring consensus at the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, and that every budget debate becomes harder when political confidence between allies declines.
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