Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a sharp response after President Donald Trump suggested using NATO’s collective defense clause to address illegal immigration at the U.S. southern border, pushing back on remarks that questioned allied contributions and underscoring Italy’s record of solidarity with the United States.
Trump’s comments came in a social media post in which he floated the idea of invoking Article 5 of the NATO treaty to compel allies to help secure the U.S. border. “Maybe we should have put NATO to the test: Invoked Article 5, and forced NATO to come here and protect our Southern Border from further Invasions of Illegal Immigrants, thus freeing up large numbers of Border Patrol Agents for other tasks,” he wrote. The statement aligned with Trump’s broader emphasis on border enforcement and immigration, but drew immediate attention because Article 5 has historically been reserved for collective defense against armed attacks.
Donald J. Trump Truth Social Post 08:27 PM EST 01.22.26 pic.twitter.com/RpnLHvHHjZ
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 23, 2026
Meloni responded with a detailed statement emphasizing Italy’s role in NATO operations and rejecting any suggestion that allies failed to stand with the United States. She said the Italian government had learned “with astonishment” of Trump’s statements claiming that NATO allies had “fallen behind” during operations in Afghanistan. She pointed to the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in its history as an act of solidarity with the United States.
“The Italian Government has learned with astonishment of President Trump’s statements according to which NATO allies would have “fallen behind” during operations in Afghanistan. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, NATO activated Article 5 for the first and only time in its history: an extraordinary act of solidarity toward the United States. In that massive operation against those who fueled terrorism, Italy responded immediately alongside its allies, deploying thousands of troops and taking full responsibility for Regional Command West, one of the most significant operational areas of the entire international mission. Over the course of nearly twenty years of commitment, our Nation has borne a cost that cannot be disputed: 53 Italian soldiers fallen and over 700 wounded while engaged in combat operations, security missions, and training programs for Afghan forces. For this reason, statements that minimize the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially if they come from an allied Nation. Italy and the United States are bound by a solid friendship, founded on a shared community of values and historical collaboration, which is even more necessary in the face of the many current challenges. But friendship requires respect, a fundamental condition for continuing to ensure the solidarity at the heart of the Atlantic Alliance.”
Il Governo italiano ha appreso con stupore le dichiarazioni del Presidente Trump secondo cui gli alleati della NATO sarebbero “rimasti indietro” durante le operazioni in Afghanistan.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) January 24, 2026
Dopo gli attacchi terroristici dell’11 settembre 2001, la NATO ha attivato l’Articolo 5 per la…
Following that decision, Meloni said, Italy responded immediately alongside its allies, deploying thousands of troops and assuming responsibility for Regional Command West, one of the most significant operational areas of the international mission. She highlighted the human cost of Italy’s nearly two decades of involvement, noting that 53 Italian soldiers were killed and more than 700 were wounded while carrying out combat operations, security missions, and training programs for Afghan forces.
“For this reason, statements that minimize the contribution of NATO countries in Afghanistan are unacceptable, especially if they come from an allied Nation,” Meloni said. She stressed that Italy and the United States are bound by a long-standing friendship rooted in shared values and historical cooperation, a relationship she described as increasingly important amid current global challenges. At the same time, she added that “friendship requires respect,” calling it a fundamental condition for preserving the solidarity at the core of the Atlantic Alliance.
Trump’s remark drew scrutiny from legal and diplomatic experts, who noted that Article 5 does not apply to immigration or domestic law enforcement matters. The mutual defense clause is triggered only in response to an armed attack against a NATO member and obligates allies to consult and take actions they deem necessary to restore security. It does not compel member states to deploy troops or resources for domestic border operations, and experts say any attempt to invoke it in that context would almost certainly be treated as a political statement rather than a legal obligation.
The exchange highlights renewed tensions over the scope and purpose of NATO at a time when immigration, alliance burden-sharing, and collective security commitments are once again central issues in transatlantic relations.
