Meloni seeks to avoid escalation after Trump revives feud

Italy has decided to cease responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's personal attacks on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seeking to preserve bilateral relations. The dispute, which began when Trump claimed Meloni "begged" for a photo at a G7 summit, has strained ties between the two leaders.

Trump reignited the feud by posting a provocative image of Meloni on social media with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED." This latest move raised questions about Meloni's reaction ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, where both leaders are expected to attend.

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Trump speaks for himself. We have a US president who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these remarks.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that Rome would not be provoked, emphasizing a desire to maintain good relations with the U.S. regardless of the president. "Trump speaks for himself. We have a US president who loves to provoke, especially on social media. We have decided to stop responding to these remarks," Tajani told La Stampa newspaper.

While Meloni's office remained silent on her planned interaction with Trump, a source close to the prime minister suggested she would handle the situation calmly. The source indicated Meloni would greet Trump "with a smile," ruling out any possibility of her snubbing him at the summit. This approach aims to de-escalate tensions among allies during the closely watched gathering.

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she knew how to handle such situations and would instead greet him "with a smile".