Italy's furious right-wing leader faces another Trump-related mess: report

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is dealing with another political headache related to President Donald Trump.

The prime minister is scrambling to contain domestic political fallout after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described her country's support for U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as "massive," which she says badly mischaracterizes Italy's actual role in the conflict, reported Politico.

"In his — let's call it enthusiastic — account, the secretary-general has lumped together things that are actually quite different from one another, confusing the types of authorized flights," Meloni told reporters during a bilateral summit with France.

"We did not participate in the conflict with Iran," she added. "By the way, if we had participated in the Iran conflict, there would be no explanation for this disappointment that the U.S. president keeps reiterating very often."

Rutte told Fox News on Wednesday that Italy played a significant part in the operation by allowing roughly 500 U.S. military aircraft to use Italian air bases. His comments came as he sought to reassure the U.S. president, who has repeatedly expressed frustration that NATO's European members aren't contributing enough to collective defense efforts.

The remarks immediately triggered backlash in Rome, where opposition figures accused Meloni of misleading the public. She had previously insisted Italy was not participating in the war and that its bases were being used only for logistical and technical support — not combat operations.

Meloni said she could not explain why Rutte offered what she called an "oversimplified account" of Italy's involvement.

The episode adds to recent friction between Meloni and Trump, who has publicly criticized her for declining to grant U.S. bombers full access to Italian bases. Meloni has stood by her position, maintaining that Italian support was limited strictly to logistics and technical assistance — not direct participation in offensive operations against Iran.

Meloni publicly called out Trump last week after he claimed she had "begged" him for a photograph at a recent G7 meeting and accused her of using their relationship for domestic political gain, but the prime minister angrily denied his claims as fabricated.

"Donald Trump's statements are completely made up," Meloni said. "I am frankly astonished. I don't know why ⁠the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies. It is not the first time, moreover."

"I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence," she added. "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."