Italy to ignore Trump provocations, foreign minister says

Investing.com -- Italy will no longer respond to provocative comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday as NATO leaders gathered in Turkey.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last month criticized Trump for creating a false account of their interaction after the U.S. president told an Italian television channel that she had "begged" him to take a photo with her at a G7 summit in France.

With both leaders scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday, Trump posted an image on Truth Social showing Meloni looking up at him with the text "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED".

Trump "speaks for himself. We have a U.S. President who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these remarks so as not to fuel disputes among our allies," Tajani told La Stampa newspaper.

"We are and will remain friends of the United States as our strategic partner and that of Europe," he added.

Meloni previously supported Trump and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025.

She criticized him this year for attacking Pope Leo over his statements about the Iran conflict. Trump responded by accusing her of lacking courage.

You May Also Be Interested In

• After-Hours Movers: INTU, SMTC, SYRE, ZM, NCNO
• Texas Community Bancshares (TCBS) Declares $0.06 Quarterly Dividend; 1.4% Yield
• Rubio tells allies U.S. shifting focus to Iran sanctions - Axios