Italian defense minister calls US ties 'deep, very solid,' despite Trump comments

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Sunday that he does not understand US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks, while stressing that relations between Rome and Washington remain "solid," according to ANSA news agency.

“Our bond with the US does not depend on governments, on prime ministers; it is deep and very solid,” Crosetto told Radio 24.

“I didn’t understand Trump’s attitude these days, also because from what I had seen on television it seemed to me that there was no problem in relations with Italy,” he added.

Trump had criticized Italy over the use of military facilities amid the Iran war, calling it “a great logistical inconvenience” and saying Washington contributes heavily to Italy’s security through NATO.

Crosetto also said Italy had fully respected the agreements on the use of military bases, and that compared with other European countries, it had done more in this regard.

He said his relations with US officials, including the American ambassador to Italy, remain “absolutely normal” and “have not changed.”

“My relations with the US, even at this time, are still absolutely normal and haven’t changed,” he said.

Crosetto added that “many of Trump’s attitudes stem from his own reflections, perhaps often not shared,” while saying there is “nothing from a defense standpoint, nor from any other perspective, that can be blamed on Italy.”