Giorgia Meloni moved to de-escalate the public debate that has erupted around her recent clash with U.S. President Donald Trump, making clear that she has no desire to prolong the confrontation and that preserving the strategic relationship between Italy and the United States remains her top priority. The Italian Prime Minister spoke at the “La Verità Day” event and in an interview with the newspaper’s editor, Maurizio Belpietro, stressing that cooperation between the two countries has deep roots that cannot be uprooted by a single clash or by social media disputes.
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Specifically, Giorgia Meloni stated: “I am shocked by what happened with Trump, but our bilateral cooperation with the U.S. must return to normal. I read all the reports suggesting that my stance was aggressive or that there was an attempt to divert attention from the war in Iran.” With these remarks, she sought to distance the developments from narratives of political manipulation, emphasizing the importance of stability in international relations.
Meloni: The need to restore U.S.-Italy relations
The Italian Prime Minister explained that she does not believe the incident can cause long-term damage to bilateral relations. As she pointed out, cooperation between Rome and Washington is built on decades of shared history, common strategic interests, and close political ties.
“I cannot say whether those reports are true, but I do not intend to fuel this discussion. I think our bilateral cooperation with the U.S. must return to normal,” she said pointedly, deliberately avoiding any move that could further escalate the situation.
Meloni also addressed the response of Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who chose to temporarily cancel a planned mission to the United States. She assessed that the move achieved its purpose by sending a clear political signal, without requiring any further escalation.
Tajani’s stance and the message to Washington
The Italian Prime Minister argued that Antonio Tajani’s decision was the right one at that particular moment, as it effectively communicated Italy’s displeasure. At the same time, she made clear that the government has no intention of turning the incident into a permanent point of friction.
“Tajani was right to cancel the mission at that point, but once the message is understood, there is no need to go further,” she said. She also confirmed that the Italian government will participate as planned in the meeting scheduled for July 2 at Villa Taverna, underlining that the country’s foreign policy remains unchanged.
“The government will be present at the July 2 meeting at Villa Taverna, because I am not changing my mind: foreign policy will be the same as it has been for the past 80 years. It is important to maintain a stable relationship between the U.S. and Europe,” she noted.
Exports, tariffs, and international balance
Meloni also touched on the economic dimension of the bilateral relationship, noting that despite American tariffs, Italian products continue to perform strongly in the U.S. market.
She emphasized that recent developments demonstrate the resilience of transatlantic trade ties. She also made specific reference to the Italian Defense Minister’s recent visit to Washington, pointing out that contacts at the military, political, and economic levels are continuing normally.
Her statements come at a time of heightened international tension, with developments in the Middle East and American political dynamics shaping a volatile geopolitical landscape. Nevertheless, Giorgia Meloni chose to send a message of de-escalation, insisting that the strategic relationship between Italy and the United States remains strong and must not be derailed by temporary political disputes.
