Trump reignites feud with Italian PM Giorgia Meloni
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has reignited his public feud with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. On Sunday, he shared a meme on his Truth Social account with the caption "Restraining order needed." The image showed Meloni smiling and looking up at Trump. This comes just a day before both leaders are scheduled to attend the NATO summit in Turkey.
Feud escalation
Meme part of series of images
The meme was part of a series of images Trump posted on his social media platform. The post comes after Trump's recent claims that Meloni had asked him for a photo multiple times during the G7 summit. He also accused Italy of denying the United States access to Italian runways for operations related to Iran.
Rebuttal
Meloni calls Trump's allegations 'completely made up'
Meloni has strongly rejected Trump's allegations, calling them "completely made up." She insisted that "neither I nor Italy ever beg," and defended Italy's sovereignty over US military bases. Responding to Trump's criticism, she said, "President Trump, these constant unprovoked attacks are senseless." Further defending her position on US military bases in Italy, she said their use is governed by agreements that "cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister."
Criticism
'Popularity depends on ability to defend Italy's national interest'
Meloni also took a dig at Trump's concerns over her popularity, saying it depended on defending Italy's national interest. She said, "My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy's national interest." The latest exchange marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the two leaders, who were once seen as close political allies.