Trump Criticizes Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Over G7 Photo Incident

President Donald Trump launched a criticism against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday. He stated that Meloni repeatedly requested a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven summit. Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with Italy’s lack of cooperation during the conflict with Iran.

These comments intensified tensions following Trump’s interview with an Italian broadcaster earlier in the week. He claimed that Meloni ‘begged’ for the photo during the G7 meeting in France. Meloni countered by saying the claim was ‘completely invented.’ The dispute led Italy’s Foreign Minister to cancel a planned trip to the United States, as Meloni’s government defended her position.

Trump wrote on his social media platform, incorrectly spelling Meloni’s name initially, which he later corrected. ‘She is struggling in Italy in terms of her popularity levels, possibly because she refused to support the United States when it came to preventing Iran from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon. NATO took the same route though,’ said Trump, while spending the weekend in Camp David.

In response, Meloni issued a statement to Trump, describing the constant, unprovoked attacks as senseless. ‘Regarding my popularity, being your friend certainly hasn’t helped it, nor does it rely on my relationship with you. My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interests, which I have always done,’ Meloni stated on Instagram. She added, ‘In any case, my popularity is none of your business. I suggest you focus on yours.’

Initially, Trump made these comments on Friday through La7. A correspondent queried him on Ukraine, but Trump brought up Meloni and repeated the photo claim. Trump mentioned that he was not obligated to take the photo, yet felt sorry and agreed to it, according to the broadcaster La7. They released a dubbed version of the conversation online, but not the original English audio.

In his post, Trump also complained that Meloni did not allow the United States to use Italian runways during the conflict with Iran. He emphasized the point by noting the U.S. leadership in defense spending among NATO allies. Trump’s grievance about the military alliance resurfaced before his meeting at the White House on Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey next month.

Italy, a critical logistical hub for the United States, denied in March the use of a Sicilian base for American bombers heading to the Middle East without parliamentary approval. This decision was driven by constitutional restrictions and significant internal opposition to the war. Meloni has maintained that any use of Italian bases for offensive operations must have parliamentary support.

Trump aired his frustrations, saying Meloni ‘wants to be friends again’ in light of the initial U.S.-Iran agreement to end the conflict.

Journalist Silvia Stellacci from The Associated Press contributed to this report from Rome.

This article was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.