Italian PM says her efforts to strengthen ties with Trump were driven by her belief in maintaining unity among Western allies rather than personal political considerations
ANKARA: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 9th, 2026) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended her decision to build close political ties with US President Donald Trump, saying she has no regrets despite a series of public disagreements that have strained their relationship in recent months.
Speaking to reporters after the NATO summit in Ankara, Meloni said her efforts to strengthen ties with Trump were driven by her belief in maintaining unity among Western allies rather than personal political considerations.
"I have absolutely no regrets about the choices I made," Meloni said when asked whether recent tensions had changed her view of investing political capital in her relationship with the US president.
Once regarded as one of Trump's closest allies in Europe, Meloni has faced increasing criticism from the US leader through interviews and social media posts over the past several months.
Their differences became more visible in April after Meloni criticised Trump for his remarks targeting Pope Leo, who had condemned the conflict involving Iran. Earlier in March, Italy also declined permission for US military aircraft travelling to the middle East to use the Sigonella Air Base in Sicily.
Meloni chose not to respond to a recent social media post by Trump that featured her photograph accompanied by a critical caption.
Despite the tensions, the Italian prime minister said her foreign policy has consistently focused on strengthening transatlantic relations, regardless of which administration is in power in Washington.
She acknowledged that relations between the two leaders have become more complicated but stressed that they continue to share common positions on several issues, including immigration and opposition to what she described as "woke culture."
During the NATO summit, Trump adopted a more measured tone towards Meloni, describing her as "a nice person." However, he again criticised Italy for what he viewed as insufficient support for recent US military operations targeting Iran.
The latest exchange highlights growing differences between the two leaders even as both continue to emphasise the importance of cooperation between Europe and the United States on key international issues.
