Trump blasts close ally Meloni, says she's failing US on Iran

She "isn't giving us any help, I'm shocked by her," Trump said about Meloni in the six-minute conversation.

He went further, accusing Meloni of relying on Washington while refusing to act.

"They depend on Donald Trump to keep it open," he said, referring to global energy routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The White House and Meloni's office did not immediately respond.

The public rift comes as Meloni has begun distancing herself from both Washington and Jerusalem amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.

On Tuesday, Meloni confirmed in a statement that Italy had suspended the automatic renewal of a long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel, signaling a significant recalibration in ties.

Israel downplayed the impact of the decision, saying the agreement was largely symbolic and "has never contained any substantive content," Reuters reported.

In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the government following Italy's move.

"Italy's decision to suspend the defense cooperation agreement with Israel is another embarrassing failure of the prime minister and the non-existent foreign minister," Lapid wrote on X.

"Meloni is not a left-wing progressive European leader," she added. "She belongs to the conservative right and understands the need to fight terrorism." 

The Israel Defense Ministry declined to comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.