Trump attacks Meloni over photo request and Italian bases refusal

Trump Attacks Meloni Over Photo Request and Italian Bases Refusal

US President Donald Trump has escalated his public criticism of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, accusing her of repeatedly requesting a photo with him at the G7 summit in France while simultaneously refusing to allow US military use of Italian bases for strikes on Iran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: "Italian Prime Minister Georgia Maloney asked over and over for a picture with me during the G7 meeting in France. She's doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity. She wouldn't even let us use Italy's landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience. Now after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her numbers up. No thanks."

Meloni swiftly denied the claims. In a video released on Friday, she refuted Trump's original assertions, stating that neither she nor Italy "ever beg." On Saturday, she posted on Instagram, calling the president's "unprovoked attacks" senseless and emphasizing that the use of military bases in Italy is governed by agreements that cannot be violated as long as she remains prime minister.

The dispute has drawn reactions from Italian political figures. Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who leads the center-left Democratic Party, commented on the row, urging a fundamental shift in transatlantic relations. "The message is clear, in my humble opinion. Their far right around the world is a problem," Renzi said. He noted that Trump's victory had already triggered political reactions in Australia and Canada, and warned that similar dynamics could affect Italy's next elections. Renzi added that Meloni had previously positioned herself as a "bridge between Europe and the United States," but that "the bridge is collapsed." He called for a more mature relationship between Europe and the US, contrasting it with what he described as a "kindergarten debate."

The incident underscores growing tensions between the two allies, with Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy party facing potential political fallout from the public spat. The row also highlights broader disagreements over military cooperation, particularly regarding US operations against Iran's nuclear program.