Trump Criticises NATO Allies and Meloni Over Iran Nuclear Issue; Netanyahu Vows to Never Let Tehran Go Nuclear

Trump criticises NATO allies and Italy's Meloni over Iran's nuclear programme as Netanyahu vows Israel will never allow Tehran to go nuclear.

President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies, accusing them of abandoning the United States when it matters most — specifically over the growing threat posed by Iran's nuclear program. Trump argued that Washington has spent trillions of dollars over decades defending its European partners, yet those same allies are unwilling to stand alongside America when confronting a serious nuclear threat.

Italy came under particular fire, with Trump singling out Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by name. He expressed sharp displeasure that Italy was not prepared to join any action against Iran, calling it unacceptable given the extent of American investment in Italian and NATO security.

Meloni pushed back swiftly. The Italian prime minister rejected Trump's accusations as baseless, stating that her standing in politics depends not on her relationship with Trump but on her ability to defend Italy's national interests.

Trump's remarks came in the immediate aftermath of the first round of technical-level talks between the United States and Iran held in Switzerland. The negotiations touched on maintaining a ceasefire in Lebanon, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to international shipping, and key elements of a potential nuclear agreement.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a firm tone of his own at the JNS International Policy Summit 2026 in Jerusalem. He declared that Israel and the United States had together inflicted severe damage on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, and that his government would never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Netanyahu also addressed the continued presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, saying troops would remain deployed there until the security of Israeli citizens was fully guaranteed. He was careful to draw a distinction, emphasising that Israel's conflict was not with Lebanon itself but with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

On the question of his relationship with Trump, Netanyahu pushed back against narratives in both countries suggesting that one leader simply follows the other's orders. He said both men lead independent and sovereign nations, that they stand up for their respective national interests, and that while their positions often align, they sometimes differ. What binds them, he said, is mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and commitment to their own people.