U.S. President Donald Trump sought to lower the temperature in his increasingly public feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday, offering conciliatory remarks ahead of their first face-to-face meeting since a dispute over his claims that she had "begged" him for a photograph strained relations between two leaders once seen as close allies.
The two were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday evening, marking their first encounter since Trump ignited controversy at last month's G7 summit in France by claiming Meloni had asked for a photo to bolster her standing ahead of Italy's 2027 elections.
The remarks drew an unusually forceful response from Meloni, who dismissed the allegation as "completely made up" and "senseless." She insisted that neither she nor Italy "beg" for political favors and called for relations between Rome and Washington to "return to normality." The diplomatic fallout deepened when Italy's foreign minister canceled a planned trip to the United States.
Despite the tension, Trump appeared eager to soften his tone as he arrived for the NATO summit.
"She's a nice person, actually," Trump told reporters, downplaying weeks of increasingly personal exchanges.
Still, the U.S. president acknowledged that relations had become "a little bad," linking the strain to Italy's refusal to fully back Washington during the conflict with Iran.
"She just wasn't there for us. And I wasn't happy about that," Trump said. "You can imagine I wasn't happy about that."
Truth Social post reignited dispute
Trump's conciliatory remarks followed another flashpoint just days before the summit.
On Sunday, he posted on Truth Social what appeared to be an image of Meloni gazing at him admiringly alongside the caption, "Restraining order needed," reigniting the controversy and raising fresh questions about the state of one of Washington's traditionally strongest European partnerships.
The online post contrasted sharply with Trump's comments in Ankara, where he appeared intent on preventing the disagreement from overshadowing broader NATO discussions.
Iran remains the central divide
Behind the personal exchanges lies a deeper policy disagreement over the conflict with Iran.
Italy authorized the United States to use military bases on Italian territory for technical and logistical support but stopped short of allowing combat operations.
Meloni's government argued the decision reflected Italy's legal obligations, national interests and widespread domestic opposition to deeper military involvement in the Middle East.
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for what he considers insufficient support during the conflict, singling out Italy while expressing broader disappointment with several alliance members.
"I was very disappointed," Trump said, reiterating his frustration with countries that declined to play a larger military role.
Allies seek to preserve strategic partnership
The dispute has marked a notable shift in a relationship that had once been among Trump's closest in Europe. Meloni was frequently viewed as one of his strongest allies on the continent, earning a reputation among political observers as a leader capable of maintaining a productive relationship with the White House despite broader transatlantic disagreements.
Even as the public feud escalated, Italian officials continued emphasizing the importance of preserving strong U.S.-Italy ties. Defense and foreign policy leaders in Rome have stressed that cooperation within NATO remains a strategic priority despite disagreements over Iran.
Their meeting in Ankara offered an opportunity to ease personal tensions while tackling broader alliance challenges, including NATO unity, continued support for Ukraine and regional security.