After taking shots at Netanyahu, Trump turns his fire on Meloni: President Trump attacked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday via his Truth Social account, claiming she repeatedly asked to be photographed with him during the G7 summit and adding that her standing in Italy is “very bad” in terms of popularity.
Trump accused Meloni of trying to cozy up to Washington only to improve her political position at home: “Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her “numbers up.” No thanks!!!”
The president said Meloni refused to allow the United States to use Italian runways and airfields as part of the campaign against Iran, even though Washington spends enormous sums defending Italy and its NATO allies, he said.
Meloni didn’t hold back, calling the statements “completely fabricated.” In a video she posted on social media, she shot back: “I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his allies. After all, this isn’t the first time this has happened.”
Meloni then attacked Trump in even sharper terms: “It’s a shame he doesn’t show the same determination toward the enemies of the West, toward the enemies of the United States, toward leaders with whom he is, by contrast, much more flexible. There’s one thing he must remember: Italy and I do not beg.”
Meloni stressed that her popularity doesn’t depend on her relationship with Trump, but on her ability to defend Italy’s national interest. She said use of American bases in Italy is governed by existing agreements, and Italy remains a sovereign nation. “My popularity is not your business. I suggest you focus on your own,” she concluded.
The public clash comes after a tense period in relations between Trump and Meloni, who was previously considered one of his closest European allies. According to the Associated Press, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned visit to the United States in the wake of Trump’s remarks, calling them “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and toward Italy as a whole.