‘People come and go but relationships remain’: Italian minister downplays Trump’s jibe at Meloni

ROME: Senior Italian government officials have urged restraint after US President Donald Trump shared a mocking image targeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on social media, emphasising that bilateral relations remain resilient despite the public friction.

The diplomatic tension escalated on Sunday (local time) when Trump uploaded a photograph of Meloni observing him on Truth Social, accompanied by the caption, “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED,” renewing a political dispute that emerged last month.

UPDATE: President Trump posted a picture with Italin PM Meloni.

“Restraining order needed” pic.twitter.com/XUnbpcktGU

— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) July 6, 2026

The initial friction began after Trump asserted to an Italian television network that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph during a G7 summit, an allegation that the Italian Prime Minister subsequently refuted.

Responding to the development, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto downplayed the incident during a broadcast on Italy’s Sky TV, stating, “I did not have any reaction. The fundamental thing is to maintain relations with a key ally like the USA,” while adding that, “People come and go, but relationships remain”.

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani echoed these sentiments, affirming that the historical alliance between Rome and Washington remains unaffected by specific remarks. “From the very start, we stated that we would not respond to such statements, so let’s move on. We are convinced that transatlantic relations go far beyond individual statements,” Tajani said.

In contrast to the government’s measured approach, domestic opposition leaders reacted sharply to the social media post. Carlo Calenda, the leader of the Azione party, publicly condemned the US President’s actions on the social media platform X. Calenda described Trump as a “despicable, cheap bully” while expressing full solidarity with Meloni.

The recent hostility marks a significant shift in dynamics, as Meloni was previously a prominent European ally of Trump and was the sole European head of government to attend his presidential inauguration in 2025.

However, relations strained earlier this year when Meloni criticised Trump for targeting Pope Leo over the pontiff’s condemnation of the conflict in Iran. The criticism drew a severe counter-response from Trump, who accused the Italian leader of lacking courage.

A diplomatic spat has unfolded just ahead of the 2026 NATO Summit currently taking place in Ankara, Turkiye, from 7-8 July, where both leaders are expected to be present.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has not issued a formal statement regarding the latest social media post. (ANI)