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US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated a public dispute over the weekend, exchanging pointed messages on social media that laid bare a deepening rift between two leaders once considered close ideological allies.
The latest flashpoint came Saturday, when Trump posted on Truth Social that Meloni had "asked, over and over, for a picture" with him during the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, earlier in the week.
He went on to suggest she was "doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity," attributing this in part to Italy's refusal to let the United States use its airspace and military infrastructure during the recent conflict with Iran.
"She wouldn't even let us use Italy's landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience, and this despite the fact the U.S. contributes hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year to protect Italy, and other 'so-called' NATO Allies," Trump wrote.
He added that, "after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her 'numbers up.' No thanks!!!"
Meloni responded directly to Trump in a post, addressing him by name. "President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless," she wrote.
She rejected any suggestion that her standing in Italy was tied to her relationship with the US president, saying her popularity "depends on my ability to defend Italy's national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done."
She also defended her government's handling of American military bases on Italian soil, saying their use "is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister." She concluded pointedly: "Italy remains a sovereign nation. In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours."
Saturday's exchange built on a row that erupted a day earlier. In an interview broadcast Friday morning on Italian network La7, Trump claimed Meloni had begged him for a photograph at the G7 summit, saying he felt sorry for her and agreed to it.
Meloni rejected the account in a video posted Friday, calling Trump's claims "completely fabricated" and saying, "neither I, nor Italy, ever beg."
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the United States that same day, describing Trump's remarks as "offensive" to the entirety of Italy.
Meloni has long been regarded as one of Trump's closest allies among European leaders. She was the only European head of government to attend his second inauguration, and her right-wing politics had positioned her as a natural bridge between Washington and the European Union.
But the relationship has frayed in recent months, particularly after Italy declined to grant the United States use of its air bases for operations connected to the conflict with Iran.
Tensions were further inflamed after Meloni defended Pope Leo XIV, who had criticized the Trump administration's stance on the war and on immigration policy, prompting Trump to accuse the Italian leader of lacking courage.
The G7 summit, hosted this year in Evian-les-Bains, brings together leaders of the world's major industrialized democracies, including the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union, to coordinate on economic and security matters.
Video footage from the gathering had shown Trump and Meloni in apparently cordial conversation, which made the subsequent public dispute over the characterization of their interaction notable to observers tracking the relationship between the two governments.
It remains unclear how the dispute will affect the broader US-Italy relationship going forward, including the status of Tajani's canceled visit and any scheduled diplomatic engagements between the two countries.
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