ROME, March 8 - U.S. President Donald Trump praised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and said she was willing to help the United States and Israel in their war with Iran, according to comments relayed to Corriere della Sera.
In a telephone conversation on Saturday with the Italian newspaper, Trump described Meloni as "a great leader" and said Italy was doing what it could to assist. He was quoted as saying: "I love Italy, I think she is a great leader." In the same call, he added: "She always tries to help, she is an excellent leader and she is a friend of mine," the report said.
Meloni has publicly indicated Italy plans to send air-defence equipment to Gulf countries in response to Iranian air strikes, a position she set out on Thursday. Separately, an Italian navy spokesperson said on Friday that an Italian warship was preparing to sail to Cyprus as part of a joint European mission intended to protect the island after it came under Iranian fire.
The remarks by Trump, conveyed through the newspaper, and Italy's announced moves underline Rome's stated willingness to assist allied efforts amid ongoing hostilities involving Iran. The Italian government has tied both the deployment of air-defence aid to Gulf nations and the navy vessel's planned voyage to broader European security activity in the region.
Details in the report attribute the quotes and the account of the telephone call to Corriere della Sera. The Italian navy's statement on the ship's preparations was issued by a navy spokesperson, and Meloni's comments about air-defence aid were made public on Thursday, according to the available account.
Key takeaways
- President Trump praised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a Saturday telephone call and said she is willing to support the United States and Israel in their war with Iran.
- Italy has announced plans to send air-defence aid to Gulf countries amid Iranian air strikes and is preparing a navy vessel to sail to Cyprus as part of a European mission to protect the island.
- Comments and details were reported by Corriere della Sera and by an Italian navy spokesperson; public remarks by Meloni on air-defence assistance were made on Thursday.
Context and scope
The account centers on the telephone exchange between President Trump and an Italian newspaper, direct quotations attributed to Trump about Meloni, and recent Italian government statements on deployments of defence-related assistance. The information reflects the content and timing of those statements as reported, without additional extrapolation.
Impacted sectors
- Defence - discussion and reported movements involve air-defence equipment and naval deployments.
- Maritime and shipping - naval activity in the Mediterranean and security missions around Cyprus bear relevance for regional maritime operations.
- Energy markets - Gulf countries are referenced as recipients of air-defence aid, which highlights a regional security link that can be relevant to energy-exporting states.