Trump calls Italy's Meloni "nice person" but blames her for refusing to help on Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said that his relationship with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had deteriorated over her refusal to support Washington during the conflict with Iran, describing her as "a nice person" while insisting she had made "a mistake."

Speaking to reporters in Türkiye, where he was attending a NATO summit, Trump said the dispute over Iran had damaged ties with the Italian leader, Caliber.Az reports, citing British media. 

"She refused to get involved so it soured my relationship with her a little bit. But I like her. I think she's a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake," Trump said.

The remarks mark the latest episode in an escalating public rift between the two leaders, whose relationship has become increasingly strained despite once being viewed as close political allies.

Their tensions intensified last month after Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 that Meloni had "begged" him for a photograph during the G7 summit in France. Meloni rejected the claim and accused the U.S. president of fabricating the story.

The disagreement deepened after Meloni criticised Trump over his response to Pope Leo's condemnation of the Iran war. Trump later criticised the Italian leader for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital shipping route.

Earlier this year, Italy also denied permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily en route to the Middle East, saying Washington had not sought prior authorisation from the Italian government.

The latest dispute was reignited over the weekend after Trump posted an image of Meloni on his Truth Social platform with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED" ahead of the NATO gathering in Türkiye.

Despite the public criticism, the Italian government has opted not to escalate the dispute.

"Trump speaks for himself. We have a U.S. president who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these remarks," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said.

Meloni's office declined to comment on how she would approach a meeting with Trump during the NATO summit. However, a source close to the Italian prime minister said she had no intention of snubbing the U.S. president and could instead greet him "with a smile."