US President Donald Trump continued his criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump claimed Meloni 'repeatedly insisted' on taking photos with him at the latest G7 summit in France.
Meloni had rejected the allegations in a statement on Friday, saying Trump had 'invented a baseless story.' However, Trump doubled down on his claim in his Saturday post.
Criticised for dropping support on Iran
Trump criticised Meloni not only over the photo claim but also for her policies on Iran. According to Trump, Meloni's political popularity in Italy is 'collapsing,' and the reason is her refusal to support the US in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Trump argued that Italy's refusal to allow the US to use its air bases during a war against Iran caused a logistical mess for Washington. 'After the US defeated Iran militarily, Meloni wants to be our friend again just to boost her popularity. No, thank you,' Trump stated.
Harsh response from Meloni
Giorgia Meloni responded to Trump's allegations with a video message published on Friday. Meloni stated that Trump's claims were 'completely fabricated,' adding, 'I and Italy do not beg.'
Footage from the G7 summit showed Meloni and Trump sitting side by side on a couch engaged in a long conversation. Trump later said he was merely 'showing closeness' to Meloni during that talk.
Diplomatic tension grows
Trump's remarks caused tension in Italy-US relations. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on Friday that he had cancelled a planned visit to the US next week. The move is seen as a diplomatic reaction to Trump's words.
Elected in October 2022 at the head of a deeply conservative coalition government, Meloni was considered one of Trump's closest allies in Europe and generally sought to bridge differences between the US and the European continent.
