ROME, July 7 - Italy will no longer engage in public replies to provocative statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Tuesday, as NATO leaders prepared to convene in Ankara.
Tajani framed the decision as a deliberate step to avoid amplifying tensions among allies. "He 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. He added: "We are and will remain friends of the United States as our strategic partner and that of Europe."
The announcement follows an escalating exchange involving Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Trump. Last month Meloni accused Trump of fabricating an incident after the U.S. president told an Italian television channel that she had "begged" him to pose for a photograph with her at a G7 summit in France. The two leaders were scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The dispute gained new visibility when President Trump posted on Truth Social an image of Meloni looking up at him with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED." The social media post appeared to revive the earlier row ahead of the NATO meetings.
Meloni's relationship with Trump has been complex. She was once a vocal supporter of the U.S. president and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025. More recently, she criticised him for his attacks on Pope Leo over the pope's condemnation of the Iran conflict. That criticism prompted a blunt rebuke from Trump, who accused her of lacking courage.
Italian media also took part in the public reaction. Il Foglio published a front-page image mocking the U.S. president's jibe at Meloni, reproducing a photograph of Trump alongside Russia's Vladimir Putin with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED."
Tajani's statement signals an attempt by Rome to de-escalate a personal and highly visible spat between a NATO ally and Italy's head of government while reaffirming that Italy maintains its strategic partnership with the United States and with Europe.
Contextual note: The information in this report is limited to the exchanges and statements described above and to the timing around the NATO summit in Ankara; no additional events or outcomes are asserted.