Giorgia Meloni used Instagram to push back after Donald Trump repeated claims about a photo and her standing in Italy. Sparks flew after the exchange at the G7 summit, where Meloni had spoken to the US president on Wednesday in Evian in France.
Meloni said Trump's comments were senseless and told him: "My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours," after Trump said she was doing poorly in Italy. She also said his "constant, unprovoked attacks" had gone too far.
Instagram rebuke from Meloni
On Friday, Meloni said she had been astonished by Trump's claim that she had begged for a photo during a G7 meeting this week in France. She later said in an Instagram video that she was "frankly stunned" and added: "I don't know why the US president behaves this way towards allies," putting the dispute into the open rather than leaving it to private diplomacy.
Trump later repeated the photo claim in a phone interview with La7 TV, saying Meloni had begged him to take a photo with her. He also accused Meloni of not supporting US efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon, adding another layer to a row that already stretched beyond personal remarks.
Italy and the US strain
The exchange has also spilled into practical diplomacy. The article says the dispute has been developing since Trump's military action against Iran this year, and Trump said on Saturday that Meloni had caused a great logistical inconvenience by barring the US from using Italian air facilities for American military operations in Iran.
Meloni answered that the use of Italian bases is governed by agreements that Italy has always respected and that cannot be violated as long as she is prime minister. She later told reporters that her relationship with Trump was unchanged and that there had been no recriminations, even as the public tone between Trump and Meloni grew sharper.
Antonio Tajani cancels trip
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has cancelled a trip to the US early next week, the clearest immediate diplomatic fallout from the dispute. For Italy, that means the row is now moving from social media and television into the day-to-day schedule of foreign policy contacts, with the next step resting on whether Trump and Meloni keep the disagreement confined to public remarks or carry it into their governments' dealings.
Giorgia Meloni dispute with Trump sparks diplomatic fallout at G7 summit
