Trump calls Italy’s Meloni a ‘nice person’ while blaming her for not helping US on Iran

US President Donald ​Trump on Tuesday called Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “nice person” but criticized her for failing to ‌help in the conflict with Iran, his latest remarks in a diplomatic dispute that is straining bilateral ties, Reuters writes.

Meloni was once seen as a close ally of Trump, but the relationship faltered last month when he told Italian TV channel La7 that she had “begged” him to take a photo with ​her at a G7 summit in France. She denied the claim and accused him of fabricating the story.

Earlier this year, Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV over his stance on the war with Iran, while Meloni described Trump’s remarks against the pope as “unacceptable.”

Trump now says his relationship with Meloni became a little bad because she refused to help the US with ​Iran.

“She refused to get involved so it soured my relationship with her a little bit. But I like her. I think she’s a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake,” Trump told reporters in Turkey where he was attending a NATO summit.

In March, Italy denied permission for ​US military aircraft to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily before heading to the Middle East because Washington had ​not sought prior authorisation from the government in Rome.