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Italy-US diplomatic relations

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2026-08-21 23:06 UTC → 2026-08-22 18:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

US Ambassador Tilman J. Fertitta has endorsed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, describing her as a ‘world-class leader’ and highlighting the deep democratic, economic, and military ties between the United States and Italy. During a diplomacy tour in Genoa, Fertitta remarked that the two nations are ‘almost like one thing’ due to their intense daily interconnections across cultural, political, and law enforcement sectors. Despite this diplomatic endorsement, Meloni has addressed complexities in her relationship with Donald Trump. In an interview with the New York Times, she noted that while she expected closer cooperation based on shared views regarding immigration and ‘woke’ culture, relations have been complicated by tensions over international conflicts and the Pope. Meloni specifically cited Trump’s attacks on the Pope as ‘unacceptable’ and highlighted disagreements regarding the use of Italian military bases, such as Sigonella, in relation to conflicts involving Iran. Recent developments indicate that diplomatic friction has intensified. Meloni revealed she has not had contact with Trump for several weeks and reported that tensions escalated following Italy’s refusal to allow U.S. bombers to use the Sigonella military airbase in Sicily for operations related to the conflict in Iran. Furthermore, Meloni pointed to a July social media post from Trump, which featured an image of her with the caption, ‘Needs a restraining order.’ Trump also claimed at the G7 summit in France that Meloni had ‘begged’ him for a photograph, a claim Meloni has dismissed as completely fabricated. Meloni maintained that Italy’s foreign policy is driven by national interests and the preservation of Western unity, asserting that she does not wish to see an ‘inferior’ or ‘subservient’ Italy.

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