Trump posts doctored image of Meloni handshake before NATO summit
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3 days · 2 summary articles
Trump posts doctored image of Meloni handshake before NATO summit
Trump calls NATO support "ridiculous" ahead of Ankara summit
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Donald Trump escalated his public feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday, posting a doctored image of their handshake at a June G7 summit with the caption “Restraining order needed” hours before the NATO summit in Ankara began. The provocative post, shared on Truth Social, marks the latest escalation in a weeks-long diplomatic spat that has strained relations between Washington and Rome ahead of a critical alliance meeting.
The row traces back to June 19, when Trump alleged in an interview that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph during the G7 in France, a claim she immediately denied. “Neither I nor Italy ever begs,” Meloni responded, adding that being Trump’s ally had “certainly not helped” her domestic standing. The US president doubled down on July 4, asserting that Meloni now seeks reconciliation after the US “defeated Iran militarily,” a reference to the recent US-Israeli military action against Iranian nuclear targets. Meloni dismissed the attacks as “senseless and unprovoked,” suggesting Trump focus on his own approval ratings instead.
Italian officials have sought to downplay the dispute. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told Sky TG24 on Sunday that “people come and go but relations must endure,” while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani insisted transatlantic ties “go well beyond individual comments.” Despite the public spat, both leaders remain scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Ankara, where allied unity is expected to dominate discussions. Italian government sources told local media that Meloni would not respond personally to Trump’s latest provocation.
The escalation comes amid broader tensions over defense spending and strategic alignment. Meloni has resisted US pressure to increase Italian military expenditure to NATO’s 2% GDP target, while Rome also refused to allow US aircraft bound for the Middle East to use its air base in Sicily during the Iran conflict. The two leaders have also clashed over Pope Leo XIV, whom Trump described as “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy”; Meloni defended the pontiff as a voice for peace.
Public reaction in Italy has largely rallied behind Meloni. Social media users shared videos of her being greeted by cheering crowds, while Italian politicians condemned Trump’s remarks as bullying. Tajani cancelled a planned visit to Washington in protest, and several European commentators have framed the dispute as emblematic of broader strains in transatlantic relations under Trump’s second term.
As NATO leaders gather in Ankara, the personal rift between Trump and Meloni risks overshadowing substantive alliance discussions. Analysts warn that such public divisions could undermine allied cohesion at a time when NATO faces renewed threats from Russia and instability in the Middle East. With both leaders set to attend the summit, the question remains whether the spat will be shelved for the sake of alliance unity—or whether it will further erode trust among key partners.
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Articles
I need restraining order against Meloni, Trump says
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