Europe and NATO Alliances

Former President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni this week, accusing a close NATO ally of “failing” the United States over Iran and pressuring her to back U.S. operations linked to rising tensions in the region. The criticism followed public and social-media reports that Meloni declined requests for Italian support — including claims that she denied U.S. aircraft access to bases in Sicily — and marks a rare, overt confrontation between two leaders who have been billed as partners on security and foreign-policy issues.