Belgian Minister Defends Meloni Against Trump's Taunts
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- Belgian defense minister publicly warned Trump to leave Italian PM Meloni alone, referring to her as 'Queen' on the eve of a NATO summit
- Trump goaded Meloni again by sharing a doctored image of her, drawing a 'restraining order' reaction and prompting Italy's foreign minister to declare Rome will no longer respond to his provocations
Why it matters: Italy's public refusal to keep engaging with Trump's taunts, combined with a fellow NATO member publicly defending Meloni, shows the US-Italy friction is now spilling into alliance diplomacy days before leaders gather at the summit, complicating unified messaging.
