Trump insists Italy’s Meloni sought photos with him to boost popularity

US president’s comments escalate a enactment betwixt the once-close leaders that has emerged during the struggle with Iran.

United States President Donald Trump has doubled down connected disapproval of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, claiming she repeatedly sought photograph opportunities with him astatine the recent G7 summit to bolster her home popularity.

Trump’s latest comments successful a station connected Truth Social connected Saturday deepen a idiosyncratic enactment betwixt Trump and the right-wing Italian leader, who was agelong viewed arsenic 1 of the US president’s apical allies successful Europe.

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Trump had initially told Italian media connected Thursday that Meloni “begged” him for a representation astatine the G7 acme successful France, saying helium agreed lone due to the fact that helium “felt atrocious for her”.

Meloni responded that she was “stunned” by the “made-up” claim.

But Trump fired backmost successful his Saturday post, saying the Italian premier curate had asked “over and over” for a photograph.

He accused her of trying to repair relations with Washington for home governmental reasons aft Italy failed to enactment US enactment against Iran.

“Now, aft the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to beryllium friends again successful bid to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!!!” Trump wrote.

Meloni rejected Trump’s latest remarks connected Saturday.

“President Trump, these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless,” Meloni said connected societal media level Instagram. “My popularity depends connected my quality to support Italy’s nationalist interest, and that is precisely what I person ever done,” she added.

In his post, Trump besides revived his long-running ailment that the US spends heavy to support “so-called” NATO allies, saying Washington contributes hundreds of billions of dollars to support Italy and others.

The remarks were a crisp escalation of a quality that had already triggered choler successful Rome.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned visit to the US implicit the row, saying connected Friday that Trump’s “grave and offensive” words towards Meloni “offend the full of Italy”.

Trump shows ‘more deference to adversaries’

Meloni, who leads Italy’s far-right Brothers of Italy party, has accused Trump of showing much deference to the West’s adversaries than to its partners.

“I don’t cognize wherefore the president of the United States behaves this mode with his ain allies,” she said successful a video posted connected X successful effect to Trump’s archetypal comments.

“It is regrettable that helium does not amusement the aforesaid determination against the enemies of the West and the United States – against leaderships with whom helium really proves to beryllium overmuch much accommodating,” she continued.

Meloni had spent months cultivating adjacent ties with Trump portion trying to reassure European allies wary of his 2nd term.

She had said astatine the extremity of the G7 acme successful Evian that the ambiance had been “very positive” and that determination was “no friction” betwixt Trump and different leaders.

But relations betwixt the 2 had already deteriorated during the struggle with Iran.

Trump turned connected Meloni successful April aft she defended Pope Leo XIV from his disapproval of the pontiff’s antiwar views. “I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,” Trump told Italian media astatine the time, adding that it was “very said” that Meloni “doesn’t privation to assistance get escaped of a nuclear-weaponed Iran”.