Trump and Meloni trade barbs over Italy's refusal to grant US bases during Iran war

The airbase dispute

Trump said Italy caused a significant logistical burden by refusing Washington permission to use Italian runways during the military campaign against Iran. He framed the denial as a betrayal despite what he described as hundreds of billions of dollars a year in US defence spending for Italy and other NATO members.

She did not even grant us the use of Italian landing or takeoff runways, causing considerable logistical inconvenience, even though the United States contributes hundreds of billions of dollars a year to the defence of Italy and the other so-called NATO allies.

Trump's social media tirade

In a Truth Social post on 20 June, Trump claimed Meloni had repeatedly begged for a photograph with him during the G7 summit in Evian, France, to reverse her declining approval ratings. He linked her domestic weakness to her refusal to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and said that, now the US had defeated Iran militarily, she wanted to be friends again merely to lift her polling numbers.

After the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again to bring her numbers back up. No thanks.

Meloni's rebuttal

Meloni replied the same day with a statement posted on Instagram in English. She argued that her popularity depends on her ability to defend Italy's national interests, not on her relationship with foreign leaders, and noted that being Trump's friend had not helped her standing. She insisted that the use of American bases in Italy is governed by agreements that must be respected and cannot be violated while she remains prime minister, underscoring that Italy is a sovereign nation.

President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless. As for my popularity, your friendship certainly has not helped, nor does it depend on my relationship with you. My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy's national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done. The use of the bases is governed by agreements that we have always respected and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister. Italy remains a sovereign nation. In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on your own.

Escalation and media fallout

The exchange follows a 19 June television interview in which Trump said Meloni had implored him for a photo and that he felt pity for her, a remark that Italian journalists defended after some politicians questioned the translation. The spat also drew attention to a typo in Trump's post (Gigiorgia instead of Giorgia), echoing his 2019 gaffe when he wrote Giuseppi Conte. The verbal duel is being read as a serious diplomatic rift between Rome and Washington.