US President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, deepening the dispute that erupted between the two sides following the G7 summit.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump accused Meloni of refusing to support his military action against Iran, and said that she is now trying to repair her relationship with him in order to boost her popularity within Italy.
Trump wrote: “Now that the United States has defeated Iran militarily, they want to be our friend again in order to boost their popularity numbers, but no… thanks!!!”
He added: “They didn’t even allow us to use Italy’s runways, which was a major logistical inconvenience, even though the United States contributes hundreds of billions of dollars annually to protect Italy and other so-called NATO allies.”
Meloni responded quickly in an Instagram post on Saturday, saying that “the constant and unjustified attacks are senseless.”
She added: “Italy remains a sovereign state. In any case, my popularity is none of your business. I suggest you focus on your own popularity.”
Trump sparked controversy this week when he told an Italian television channel that Meloni had "begged" him to take a picture with her during the summit.
Meloni responded via a video posted on social media, stating that she was “astonished” by Trump’s remarks and described the account as “completely fabricated.”
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