Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni trade verbal barbs ahead of NATO summit

Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have engaged in a public verbal dispute. Trump described Meloni as a good person but criticized her for refusing to support U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran. The tension escalated when Trump posted a doctored photo of Meloni on his Truth Social platform with the caption demanding restrictive measures. Previously, Trump alleged that Meloni's popularity is declining in Italy and claimed she had pleaded for a photo opportunity with him during the G7 summit. Despite these recent frictions, Meloni had previously been considered one of Trump's closest allies in Europe. The Italian government has officially declined to comment on these remarks. Analysts previously speculated that the NATO summit could serve as a venue for a reconciliation between Rome and Washington. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was noted in reports alongside the diplomatic fallout.