'I Regret Nothing': Meloni Defends Close Ties With US Despite Trump's Bullying, Cites Common Ground From 'Immigration to Woke Culture'

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made it clear that she stands firmly by her foreign policy decisions, despite recent public friction with US President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a press conference in Ankara on Wednesday following a NATO summit, Meloni addressed the shifting dynamics between Rome and Washington. Once considered one of Trump's closest allies in Europe, the Italian leader has recently found herself on the receiving end of sharp criticism from the White House via media interviews and social media posts.

Despite the tension, Meloni remains steadfast. While addressing reporters, she punctuated her resolve by drinking an entire glass of water before answering questions about her relationship with the US President. "No, I absolutely don't regret anything I've done," Meloni stated when asked if she had second thoughts about the political capital she invested in Trump. "I don't regret anything I've done. I made a political investment out of conviction in the unity of the West; I championed it across the board. It’s not a strategy I put in place with the arrival of Donald Trump. I did it with all my counterparts, all the interlocutors I’ve faced."

Shared Affinities and Growing Friction

The bond between the two leaders has faced visible strain over the last few months. The initial public rift emerged in April after Meloni rebuked Trump for his criticism of Pope Leo, who had condemned the ongoing war involving Iran. Tensions escalated further when Italy denied permission for US military aircraft bound for the Middle East to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily.

The friction became highly visible on Sunday when Trump shared a social media post featuring an image of Meloni looking up at him, captioned: "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED". Meloni, who was notably the only European head of government to attend Trump's inauguration last year, declined to respond directly to the post. Instead, she focused on the broader ideological alignment they still share.

"Clearly, with Donald Trump there were affinities, there are affinities on some policy issues, from immigration to woke culture, so obviously I thought it could be simpler," Meloni acknowledged. "Things are going as we’ve seen, but I’m not changing my mind about what Italy’s interest is."

A Firm Stance on the Iran Conflict

A major point of contention remains Italy's refusal to join US-led military actions in the Middle East. At the summit, Trump adopted a somewhat more conciliatory tone, describing Meloni as "a nice person." However, he simultaneously renewed his criticism of her administration for failing to back his military operations against Iran, which are expected to resume.

Meloni used the press conference to draw a definitive line regarding Italy's military involvement. "We said from the beginning that we would not participate in attacks against Iran. We are not participating in attacks against Iran, and we will not participate in attacks against Iran," Meloni reiterated firmly.

By maintaining this stance, the Italian Prime Minister has signaled that while she still values the transatlantic alliance and shares common ground with Trump on cultural and domestic policies, Italy's strategic autonomy and national interest will dictate its military commitments.
 

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