Italy denies Trump permission to land at Sigonella. Crosetto: "There's no tension with Washington; they'll continue to use our bases."
Last Friday, the landing of American bombers scheduled to depart for the Middle East was prohibited; these were not logistical flights covered by the treaty: "We respect the existing agreements."Soldiers photographed at the Sigonella base. Below, the sign indicating the "Bravo" alert level. (ANSA ALBERTO LANCIA)
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Italy last Friday denied the United States the use of the Sigonella base for landing bombers .
The Corriere della Sera reported this, and the news was confirmed by informed sources. Chief of Staff Luciano Portolano called Defense Minister Guido Crosetto to inform him that the flight plans for some US aircraft called for landing in Sigonella and then departing for the Middle East, but no one had requested authorization or consulted the Italian military leadership , and the plans were communicated only after the planes were already in flight.
Once it was established that these were not normal or logistical flights, included in the US-Italy treaty, Portolano, on direct mandate from the minister, informed the US: those planes cannot land in Sigonella , because they are unauthorized and without any prior consultation.
Moreover, Crosetto himself, in Parliament, had pledged to have Parliament approve "any operation that does not fall within the treaties and therefore needs to be authorized."
A denial that could create a diplomatic incident similar to the one that occurred in 1985 when Bettino Craxi was in government and Ronald Reagan was in the White House. However, according to reports, there have been no reactions or protests from Washington.
Minister Crosetto himself clarified the situation: "The bases are active and in use, nothing has changed, even if some are trying to convey the message that Italy has decided to suspend the use of the bases by US assets . We are doing what all Italian governments have always done, fully adhering to the commitments made in Parliament and to the line reiterated by the Supreme Defense Council, in continuity with all previous Councils over the decades. International agreements clearly regulate and distinguish between what requires specific government authorization (for which it was decided to always involve Parliament), without which no concessions can be made, and what is considered technically authorized because it is included in the agreements. There is no third option." "I want to reiterate," Crosetto added, "that there is no animosity or tension with the US, because they know the rules that have governed their presence in Italy since 1954 as well as we do."
Palazzo Chigi also intervened, with a statement reiterating that there are no frictions with the US: "We are acting in compliance with existing agreements and the guidelines expressed by the Government in Parliament. The Executive's position is clear, coherent, and already fully shared with Parliament, without any amendments. Each request is carefully examined on a case-by-case basis, as has always been the case in the past. There are no critical issues or frictions with international partners. Relations with the United States, in particular, are solid and characterized by full and loyal cooperation. The Government will therefore continue to operate within the framework of existing treaties, respecting the will of the Government and Parliament, while ensuring international reliability and full protection of the national interest."
The reactions
A "fair and correct" decision, according to Azione leader Carlo Calenda , who believes "there's no reason for a submissive approach toward the US." "Meloni," Calenda added on Skytg24, "has paid the price for her absurd closeness to Trump. I hope the referendum outcome will bring about a turning point in the government's efforts to build an ever stronger Europe. I remember that Trump called us cowards; we cannot accept being trampled on."
Giuseppe Conte, M5S : "It is our duty to deny American bombers the use of our bases. This is a necessary step, imposed by our Constitution. Now the government must take a further step, which is also necessary: it must also deny logistical support from our bases, considering that those American and Israeli attacks were carried out in clear violation of international law."
"The right decision," according to Anthony Barbagallo, Democratic Party MP and regional secretary of the party in Sicily, who asks the government to "report clearly to Parliament on what is really happening."
As early as March 25, we formally requested a report, highlighting that, in the previous week, operations had taken place that suggested our country's direct involvement in activities beyond mere logistical or support functions. From what we learned today, thanks in part to information provided by Chief of the Defense Staff Luciano Portolano, there was an attempt by the United States to use the Sigonella base for offensive operations without prior Italian authorization. Minister Crosetto's decision to deny landing is significant and correct, confirming the validity of the concerns raised in recent days. However, the picture remains extremely opaque and worrying, especially in light of reports regarding the use of the Sigonella base for intelligence activities and operational support in international conflict scenarios.
Elly Schlein also called on the government to report to Parliament : "The decision on Sigonella confirms the concerns we have been raising over the past few weeks, specifically regarding the Sicilian base: the US wants to use our territory as a platform for war in the Middle East. Italy's refusal to authorize this cannot be a one-off decision; it must become a clearly expressed policy, also in light of future improper requests from the US command. The government must therefore come to Parliament to embody the majority will of the Italian people, who oppose the use of our territory for an illegal war that also damages our strategic and economic interests. The government must ask Trump and Netanyahu to stop. It's not enough to ask the Iranian regime; we must obtain an immediate ceasefire and put an end to this illegal war."
"It's a necessary act," according to AVS leader Angelo Bonelli , who calls on the government to go further. "The government has always maintained that treaties must be respected, and in this case, a decision was made consistent with this principle. However, we cannot hide behind hypocrisy. The Triton monitoring drone, which then goes on to bomb, regularly launches from Sigonella. Similarly, missiles and weapons are loaded from Camp Darby in Pisa, which then goes on to bomb Iran. Italy continues to provide logistical assistance to military operations in this war, which is devastating and destabilizing the planet, with dire economic consequences for our country as well. This is why I say we must have the courage to go a step further, take a clear and unequivocal position, and distance ourselves from the policies of this global bully, Donald Trump, who thinks he can rule the world through military supremacy."
(Unioneonline/L)