Italy’s defence minister stressed the importance of good transatlantic relations on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump again goaded erstwhile ally Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister.
Meloni last month accused Trump of fabricating a story about her after the U.S. president told an Italian TV channel that she had “begged” him to take a photo with her at a G7 summit in France.
With the two leaders due to attend a NATO summit in Turkey this week, Trump appeared to reignite the dispute when he posted on Truth Social a picture of Meloni looking up at him with the caption “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED”.
The Italian prime minister has yet to respond.
“I did not have any reaction (to the post), the fundamental thing is to maintain relations with a key ally like the USA,” Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told Italy’s Sky TV.
“People come and go but relationships remain,” he added.
Opposition politicians were less restrained.