Trump Criticizes Meloni for Not Aiding in US-Iran Conflict, Admits Relationship Has Worsened

(CNA Ankara/Rome, July 7 - Reuters) U.S. President Trump called Italian Prime Minister Meloni a "good person" today, but criticized her for not providing assistance in the US-Iran conflict. Meloni's defense of Pope Leo XIV's anti-war stance earlier this year angered Trump, leading to a deterioration in their relationship.

According to Reuters, Meloni (Giorgia Meloni) was once considered a close ally of Trump, but their relationship began to sour last month when Trump, in an interview with Italian La7 television, claimed Meloni "begged" for a photo with him at the G7 summit. Meloni refuted this, accusing Trump of fabricating the story.

Trump fiercely criticized Pope Leo XIV's (Pope Leo XIV) opposition to the US-Iran war this year, and Meloni's decision to defend the Pope angered Trump, who then attacked Meloni for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump stated that his relationship with Meloni has "gotten a little bad because she refused to help us (on the Iran issue)."

Speaking to reporters during the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said, "She refused to be involved, so it made my relationship with her a little worse. But I like her, and in fact, I think she's a good person. However, I think she made a mistake."

During the US-Iran war, Trump also criticized other European leaders, including German Chancellor Merz (Friedrich Merz), who also condemned the war.

However, Trump's criticism is a significant blow to Meloni, who initially sought to leverage their shared right-wing political stance to build a close relationship with Trump. She was also the only European leader to attend Trump's inauguration ceremony in 2025.

Meloni's office declined to comment on her interactions with Trump during their meeting in Ankara. Sources familiar with Meloni stated that she is unlikely to deliberately snub Trump and knows how to handle such situations, possibly greeting him with a smile. (Compiled by Zhang Mingxuan) 1150708

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