US President Donald Trump escalated a diplomatic row with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, accusing her of repeatedly seeking a photograph with him and linking the dispute to tensions over Iran and Nato.
The clash has opened an unusually personal rift between Trump and one of Europe’s most prominent right-wing leaders, who had sought to cast herself as a bridge between Washington and the continent during Trump’s return to power.
Trump had initially told Italian broadcaster La7 that Meloni “begged” him for a picture at this week’s G7 summit in France, saying he agreed only because he “felt sorry for her.”
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Meloni angrily denied the claim, calling it “made up”, but Trump doubled down in a post on Truth Social, saying Meloni had asked “over and over” for a photograph during the summit.
He also accused her of trying to repair relations with Washington for domestic political reasons after Italy failed to support US action against Iran.
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