Trump meme attacks Italian PM Meloni before NATO summit

A public feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated on Sunday, July 5, when Trump posted a meme on his Truth Social account depicting Meloni as an obsessed admirer with the caption "Restraining Order Needed." The image shows Meloni looking up at Trump. The post came just two days before both leaders are scheduled to attend a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 7 and 8.

The Italian government has decided not to officially respond to what it views as a personal provocation, according to reports. Prime Minister Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reportedly agreed on a strategy of ignoring the attack. However, messages of solidarity have emerged from other Italian political figures, with one party leader calling Trump a "despicable two-bit bully."

This latest incident marks a sharp deterioration in a relationship once seen as a strong political alliance. The rift began on June 19, when Trump claimed in an interview that Meloni had "begged" him to take a photo with her during the G7 summit in France. Meloni forcefully rejected the claim as "completely fabricated" and stated that "neither I nor Italy ever beg." In response...