Meloni Breaks With Trump, Opposes US Troop Withdrawal From Italy

In a New York Times interview published 21 August 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated she would not support any decision by President Donald Trump to withdraw US troops stationed in Italy. The position puts her at odds with a White House she has otherwise kept cordial ties with, underscoring Rome's balancing act between NATO commitments and Trump's push to reduce the US military footprint in Europe.