Italy seeks to mend ties with the US after Trump-Meloni blowout

ROME – Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani sought to mend fences with the US, saying the two countries should work to de-escalate tensions after a spat between President Donald Trump and Premier Giorgia Meloni.

“It’s not a definitive rift; that would be a mistake for all,” Tajani said in an interview on June 23. “Italy’s alliance with the US is not only sustainable, it is indispensable.”

At a separate event in Rome, Meloni also tried to turn down the dial. 

“I do not intend to fan the flames of this confrontation,” she said when asked about the blowout. “Our bilateral work with the US must return to normalcy.”

Meloni and Trump traded barbs last week, with the US President saying she “begged” for a picture with him at the Group of Seven summit – a claim she said was totally made up. Trump kept up the pressure, prompting Meloni to say he should pay attention to his own issues and popularity. 

What had begun as an effusive relationship between the two last year began to descend into acrimony in April, when Meloni publicly condemned the war in Iran, as well as Trump’s attacks on Pope Leo XIV. 

The spat led to Tajani canceling a trip to Miami last week for a planned business summit.

“Frankly, the attacks appeared unjustified and difficult to understand,” Tajani said. “Maybe they were tied to internal political dynamics in the US. It’s not up to me to interpret his actions.”

The foreign minister said he “currently” didn’t see any indication of further tariffs or a pullout of troops from US bases in Italy. 

“Italy is a strategic partner for the US in the Mediterranean, in Africa, in the Balkans,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine Washington would want to neglect an ally with such a role. I believe common sense will prevail.”

He sought to play down tensions, saying “allies can at times have strong disagreements – and when unjustified attacks take place it is necessary to respond – but they don’t interrupt dialogue”. 

Tajani, who is also Meloni’s deputy, said diplomatic channels had never ceased to work. 

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio knows this,” he said, pointing to next month’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Ankara as a venue for further diplomacy. BLOOMBERG