Trump says injunction ‘necessary’ for Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in new social media attack | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has escalated his public spat with Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni by sharing a photo of the two leaders on Truth Social with the caption “CUTTING ORDER NECESSARY”.
The post, shared on Sunday (local time), represents the latest chapter in the still-public spat between the two leaders, who are expected to attend a NATO summit in Turkey later this week.
Meloni had not publicly responded to Trump’s latest post at the time of writing.
The G7 summit was followed by a dispute
The latest exchange comes weeks after tensions emerged following the 52nd G7 summit in France.
During an interview with an Italian TV channel, Trump claimed that Meloni “begged” him for the photo. The Italian prime minister categorically rejected the accusation, saying: “Neither I nor Italy ever wish.”
Disagreements deepened further on June 22, when Trump criticized NATO members, including Meloni, for not joining efforts against what he called a “very serious Iranian nuclear threat.”
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In a Truth Social post, Trump accused several U.S. allies of not supporting Washington despite benefiting from decades of U.S. security commitments, and expressed frustration at their reluctance to engage directly in the confrontation with Iran.
Italy emphasizes the importance of ties with the US
Despite Trump’s latest attack on social media, the Italian government has tried to play down the controversy.
“I had no reaction (to the post), the basic thing is to maintain relations with a key ally like the US,” Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Sky TV.
He added: “People come and go, but relationships remain.”
Meanwhile, opposition leader Carlo Calenda, who heads the Azione party, sharply criticized Trump, writing on X: “Trump is a despicable, cheap bully.
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From allies to public rivals
Meloni was once considered one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe and was the only European leader to attend his 2025 inauguration.
However, relations between the two have soured in recent months. Earlier this year, Meloni criticized Trump after he criticized Pope Leo over the pope’s condemnation of the Iran conflict. Trump subsequently accused the Italian leader of lacking courage.
Despite growing personal tensions, Meloni has repeatedly emphasized that Italy’s relationship with the United States transcends individual political leaders.
Speaking earlier, she said: “These relationships don’t start or end because of who’s in power at a particular moment.”
Comparing it to reality TV, she added: “Sometimes we talk about foreign policy like it’s ‘Temptation Island’. Foreign policy is much more complicated.”
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Carlo Fidanza, a politician from Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, described the prime minister in an interview with The Wall Street Journal as someone willing to defend her principles.
“She can be very kind and warm. But when it comes to standing up for her beliefs and defending her dignity or her country’s dignity, she doesn’t hold back. She’s reasonable, but she can also be tough when you cross her,” Fidanza said.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Meloni’s combination of conservative politics and pragmatic governance helped Italy secure a relatively stable government. While her party, the Brothers of Italy, promotes traditional family values, it has also adopted pro-NATO, pro-US and fiscally prudent positions, explicitly distancing itself from the party’s far-right past.
