Donald Trump moderated his tone towards Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday during a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, describing her as "a good person, actually."
He did it just 24 hours after posting on Truth Social a meme mocking her with the text “A restraining order is needed.”
Today's statement from the U.S. president came in response to a direct question from a journalist.
When a reporter asked him to clarify the meaning of the post regarding the restraining order, Trump replied in an ambiguous tone:
"Oh, I don't know. I believe she is a good person, actually. We had a bad relationship, but it turned a bit sour because she refused to help us. I didn't pressure her too much. But she refused to get involved with Iran, she refused to get involved. As you can imagine, it didn't sit well with me."
The leader insisted that the distancing was not the result of a failed pressure, but rather a unilateral decision from Rome
"They soured my relationship with her a bit, but I like her. I think she is a good person, really, but I believe she made a mistake."
And concluded with a phrase that he repeated twice in front of the journalists:
"He simply wasn't with us, and I didn't like that. As you can imagine, I didn't like that."
A crisis with a long history
The tension between Trump and Meloni has been brewing for months. In April 2026, Trump called her "unacceptable" in the Corriere della Sera following the Prime Minister's defense of Pope Leo XIV, who opposed the war against Iran.
In June, the president claimed that Meloni had "begged" him for a photo at the G7 in Évian, an accusation she vehemently denied: "Donald Trump's statements are completely made up; I am frankly astonished. Neither I nor Italy ever begged."
On June 20, Trump dismissed any possibility of reconciliation.
"Now, after the United States militarily defeated Iran, it wants to be friends again to boost its numbers. No, thanks!"
Meloni replied: “My popularity is not your concern. I suggest you focus on your own.”
The Ankara summit is the first face-to-face meeting between both leaders since the crisis erupted.
The Italian Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, who is accompanying Meloni in Turkey, summarized Rome's stance:
"People come and go, but relations with the U.S. must be upheld. It is essential to maintain a relationship with such an important ally."
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