Trump Says Giorgia Meloni ‘Made a Mistake’ by Refusing to Back US During Iran Operation

Ankara, July 2026 : US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “made a mistake” by declining to support the United States during its military operation involving Iran, adding that Italy’s decision had strained what had previously been a strong personal and political relationship between the two leaders.

Speaking to reporters alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of their bilateral meeting in Ankara before the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Summit, Trump said he was disappointed that Italy chose not to participate in efforts related to the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Iran crisis.

Responding to a question about a recent social media post concerning Meloni, Trump said he still respected the Italian Prime Minister but believed she had erred by not standing with the United States during a critical moment.

“I think she’s a nice person, actually,” Trump remarked. “We had a good relationship, but it became a little bad because she refused to help us. I didn’t put heavy pressure on her, but she refused to get involved with the Strait of Hormuz, or you could also say Iran. She refused to get involved.”

The US President said Italy’s decision had affected his perception of the bilateral relationship, though he stopped short of making a broader criticism of Meloni’s leadership.

“So it soured my relationship with her a little bit,” Trump said. “But I like her. I think she’s a nice person, actually, but I think she made a mistake.”

Trump argued that European countries, particularly those dependent on Middle Eastern energy supplies, had a direct stake in ensuring stability in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime trade routes. He contrasted Europe’s reliance on imported oil with the United States’ energy independence.

“They get a lot of their oil from that region,” Trump said. “We don’t. The United States has more oil than anybody. We don’t need the straits. We do this because we think it’s an important thing to do.”

The President suggested that Washington’s actions were aimed at protecting broader international security rather than pursuing narrow national interests. He added that he had expected greater support from allies whose economies rely heavily on uninterrupted energy supplies through the Persian Gulf.

“She just wasn’t there for us, and I wasn’t happy about that,” Trump said. “You can imagine, I wasn’t happy.”

Earlier during the media interaction, Trump expanded his criticism beyond Italy, saying several NATO allies had declined to support the United States during the Iran operation despite benefiting from decades of American security commitments.

According to Trump, the episode served as a test of alliance solidarity. He claimed that Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom all chose not to participate in the operation, leaving Washington without the backing it had expected from some of its closest European partners.

In contrast, Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for what he described as Turkey’s constructive role during the regional crisis. While noting that Turkey possesses significant military capabilities, he said Ankara had deliberately avoided direct military involvement and instead supported diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and bringing the conflict closer to an end.

The remarks came ahead of the NATO Summit, where leaders are expected to discuss collective security, regional conflicts and burden-sharing among alliance members. Trump’s comments underscore continuing differences within the alliance over Middle East policy while highlighting Washington’s expectation that NATO partners play a more active role in supporting US-led security initiatives.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)