President Donald Trump escalated his public feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, claiming she asked "over and over" for a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit and criticizing Italy's refusal to allow US bombers to use its bases during the Iran war.
Trump's social media attack
In a post on his social media platform while at the Camp David presidential retreat, Trump wrote: "Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France." He initially misspelled her first name but later corrected it. Trump continued: "She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!)."
Background of the dispute
The spat began earlier this week when Trump, in an interview with Italian broadcaster La7, claimed Meloni had "begged" for the photo during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. Meloni called that account "completely fabricated." The controversy escalated when Italy's Foreign Minister canceled a planned trip to the United States as Meloni's government rallied in her defense.
Trump's comments were aired on Friday on La7. A correspondent had asked the President about Ukraine, but Trump raised Meloni and made the claim about the photo. Trump said he was not obliged to take the picture but felt sorry for her and agreed, according to La7. The broadcaster aired a dubbed version of the conversation but not the original English audio.
Italy's refusal on Iran war support
Trump's post also complained that Meloni would not allow the US to use Italy's landing strips or runways during the Iran war, despite the US being a leader in defense spending among NATO allies. This is a long-standing complaint about the military alliance, which Trump raised before his White House meeting Wednesday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey next month.
Italy, a key logistics hub for the US, declined in March to allow American bombers headed for the Middle East to use a base in Sicily without parliamentary approval. Trump vented his frustration and on Saturday claimed that Meloni "wants to be friends again" in light of the initial deal between the US and Iran to end the war.
Impact on US-Italy relations
The public dispute marks a significant deterioration in relations between the US and Italy, a key NATO ally. Meloni's government has lined up in her defense, with the Foreign Minister canceling a trip to Washington. The incident highlights tensions over burden-sharing within NATO and differing approaches to the Iran conflict. Trump's characterization of Meloni's popularity as "doing poorly" contrasts with her domestic standing, where she remains a prominent figure in Italian politics. The fallout could affect future cooperation on security and diplomatic matters between the two countries.
