Tensions between US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni resurfaced ahead of the upcoming NATO summit, after Trump posted an image of the two leaders alongside a controversial caption suggesting she needed a “restraining order.”
Trump shared a photo of himself with Meloni, accompanied by the phrase “Restraining order needed,” without further explanation. The post immediately drew attention in Italy and abroad, though the context of the remark was not clarified.
Italian media reported that the government in Rome does not intend to respond formally, with Corriere della Sera noting officials prefer to treat the episode as a provocation rather than escalate the exchange.
The latest incident follows a series of public disputes between the two leaders. In late June, Trump alleged that Meloni had “begged” him for a photo in order to improve her domestic popularity, a claim she firmly rejected.
He also argued that her political standing had weakened in Italy, linking this to broader disagreements over US policy and NATO positions.
