Diplomatic relations between the US and Italy have entered their worst crisis in decades.
The conflict between US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has escalated from a personal feud to a large-scale institutional freeze, accompanied by open media war and economic blockades.
Timeline of the clash: From G7 to Truth Social
The tensions that began during the G7 summit in France escalated sharply over the weekend. On Saturday, Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to directly attack Meloni. The US president said, that she “repeatedly“ asked him for a photo together during the forum to boost her “falling domestic ratings“. Trump tied her political status to Italy's refusal to support US military action in the Middle East.
Rome's response was immediate and unusually sharp for diplomatic protocol.
“Italy and I never ask“, Giorgia Meloni stated categorically.
She called Trump's claims “completely fabricated“ and publicly advised him to focus on his own approval ratings. Meloni accused the American leader of paradoxical behavior — showing extreme condescension to autocrats and enemies of the West while simultaneously attacking and humiliating his closest allies in Europe.
The Institutional Freeze: Canceled Visits and Business Forums
The crisis already has severe practical consequences:
Diplomatic boycott: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has officially canceled his strategic visit to Washington, D.C., scheduled for today. Tajani called Trump's words an “insult to the entire Italian nation“. Economic blow: The large-scale Italian-American business forum in Miami was postponed indefinitely. This happened after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also withdrew from participation. Unprecedented unity in Rome: The scandal achieved the impossible — united the Italian political scene. From the far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini to the left-wing opposition, all political forces came out with a united position in defense of Meloni and condemned the arrogance of the White House.
The deep reasons: The geopolitical rift
Behind the scenes of the dispute over the “G-7 photo“ are fundamental geopolitical differences that have been building up in recent months.
The main turning point turned out to be the Middle East. Meloni categorically refused to give the US access to Italian military bases for strikes against Iran and blocked the signing of a joint pact. Tensions also increased after Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV for his anti-war positions - a move that Meloni sharply criticized in defense of the Vatican. Rome also opposed US customs policy towards the EU and refused to participate in the scheme to buy American weapons for Ukraine.
What next?
As of this hour, the White House has maintained official silence and refused to make any move to smooth over the blame through diplomatic channels. Relations between the two countries remain at a critical point.
Meanwhile, a number of European leaders, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, have already expressed full solidarity with Rome. The first radical calls for a review of the US military presence in strategic bases such as Aviano and Sigonella are already being heard in the Italian parliament, unless Washington issues a formal apology.