Washington, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by sharing a meme on his social media platform Truth Social that jokingly suggested a “restraining order” was needed because Meloni was supposedly “obsessed” with him. The post came just days before both leaders are scheduled to attend the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, raising concerns that the personal clash could overshadow key alliance discussions.
The meme showed an edited image implying that Meloni was admiring Trump, accompanied by the caption “Restraining order needed.” It is the latest episode in an increasingly bitter exchange between the two leaders, whose relationship has deteriorated in recent weeks despite once being viewed as close political allies.
The feud began after Trump claimed that Meloni had repeatedly “begged” for a photograph with him during the recent G7 Summit. Meloni firmly rejected the allegation, calling it “completely made up” and stating that neither she nor Italy “ever beg.” She also criticised Trump for treating long-standing allies more harshly than adversaries.
Trump subsequently accused Meloni of trying to repair ties with him to improve her domestic popularity and criticised Italy’s position on issues related to Iran and NATO. The exchange has strained U.S.-Italy diplomatic relations, prompting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned visit to the United States last month.
The timing of Trump’s latest social media post has drawn attention because it comes immediately before the NATO summit, where leaders are expected to discuss defence spending, support for Ukraine, regional security and alliance cooperation. Diplomats fear the personal dispute could distract from the summit’s agenda.
Despite the public exchanges, the Italian government has indicated that it remains committed to maintaining strong bilateral ties with the United States and ensuring that diplomatic relations are not undermined by personal disagreements between the two leaders.
