Opinion

Trump's personal feuds with allies from Italy to Israel reveal how personality drives his foreign policy

Italy's foreign minister canceled a planned US visit while an Adelson-owned Israeli newspaper declared Trump 'failed'

By Howard Kurtz Fox News

Published June 22, 2026 3:00am EDT

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Donald Trump has had a falling out with the Italian prime minister. 

In fact, as you may have heard, the entire country is angry with the president. 

Giorgia Meloni hit back hard, accusing Trump of fabricating a story about her. 

Trump had said: "She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so ​badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her."

TRUMP SAYS MELONI 'WANTS TO BE FRIENDS AGAIN' AFTER ITALY REFUSED TO HELP US AMID IRAN WAR

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends her annual press conference in Rome on Jan. 9, 2026. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

"Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up," said the prime minister, who has been an ally. "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...

"There is one thing he should remember: Neither I nor Italy ever beg."

The flap, which prompted Italy's foreign minister to cancel a planned U.S. visit, underscores how Trump's policies, here and abroad, are driven by personal relationships.

TRUMP BLASTS CLOSE ALLY MELONI, SAYS SHE’S FAILING US ON IRAN

 What we might view as a harmless bit of embellishment managed to insult an entire country, and alienate one of the few European leaders who has backed the U.S.  

In the wake of Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran,........

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