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Posted on 06/19/2026 7:36:56 AM PDT by dennisw
Giorgia Meloni has said she was left 'stunned' after Donald Trump mocked her over a photo taken at the G7, claiming the Italian PM had been desperate to pose with him.
Italy's foreign minister Antonio Tajani scrapped a June 21 trip to Washington in protest, writing on X that the 'grave and offensive words of President Trump ... offend the whole of Italy.'
Trump told Italian TV channel La7 that Meloni 'wanted a picture with me so badly' at this week's summit in France and that he agreed only because he 'felt sorry for her.'
He went further in the comments broadcast Friday morning, suggesting Meloni might be 'happy that I talked to her, I didn't have to talk to her.'
Meloni replied immediately from a European Union summit in Brussels, trashing Trump's 'made up' account and firing back: 'Neither I nor Italy ever beg'.
'I don't know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,' the right-wing leader said in a video posted to Instagram, adding it was 'a pity he doesn't show the same determination with enemies of the West.'
'After all, this isn't the first time this has happened,' she said, an apparent reference to an interview Trump gave to Italian paper Corriere della Sera in April criticizing her refusal to back the Iran war. Meloni did not respond publicly at the time.
The blow-up shatters the image Meloni built as Europe's bridge to Trump, a relationship already pushed to the brink by the Middle East war and by her defense of Pope Leo XIV against the president's attacks.
Trump has since threatened to pull US troops from Italy, claiming Rome 'has not been of any help to us' in the Iran war.
US tariffs, its staunch support of Israel over its war in Gaza, as well as Trump's reluctance to assist Ukraine amid the Russian invasion have also frayed relations.
Italy's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also rebuked Trump, saying he didn't believe Meloni would ever beg someone for a photo, 'not even under threat.'
'I can, however, imagine how much it cost her to set aside what Trump had said weeks ago, to serve the interests of Italy, of Europe, and of the West,' Crosetto posted on X.
'Jokes of this kind do no good to anyone: neither to the USA, nor to Italy, nor to the alliance.'
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I like Trump. I voted for him twice. However somebody in the cabinet needs to put some 100 mile an hour tape across his mouth. I must add, that is not a death threat it is a voice recommendation. If you see this post Mr Trump all I can say is how do you like me so far?
No.
Meloni turned out to be a globalist. And you turned to be a defender of a Kyiv puppet.
Trump delivers that messages and you miss it.
Good for her, shows a lot of backbone and integrity.
You’d think Trump would finally learn he’s not doing as well as he thinks he is when dealing with Europe. They have been our allies in various forms for centuries for a reason.
Threatens to capture Greenland, gets rebuffed.
Tries to surrender Ukraine to Russia, only to see Russia begin to get stomped in the face without US help.
Tries to insult Pope, only to see his polls take a major hit.
Trues to go solo against Iran, only to have EU cut off his supply lines.
Tries to insult Meloni, who calls him a liar and cancels planned diplomatic trip.
Can’t wait to see what’s next. /S
Obviously he is miffed that Italy stiffed us in Iran war. I don’t think at this point Trump gives a rats a$$ about what people think about him. He does everything for a reason, and I suspect he knew there would be a response from what he said, which I suspect it will allow him to say, that he was disappointed that Italy didn’t help, but actually no one did.
I think DJT is absolutely hilarious and EVERYONE wants to hear what he says no matter what it is that he says. DJT saying Meloni was begging for a picture with him is a huge crack up.
In all fairness, the Pope is an idiot.
Maybe, just maybe Trump could avoid just blurting out whatever comes to mind. Would he have said such a thing about a male leader?
Freinds😂😂
Honestly, that’s your take on this?
ALL I SEE IS A WHOLE WORLD FULL OF INGRATES WHO AS UNCLE SUGAR SUCKER
That was a political decision and not the right one. Trump’s remarks were personal. There is a difference.
I think Trump is of the belief that “All your bases are belong to us.”.
Well, we were offended too, when you refused to let the U.S., a fellow NATO country, use your airfields during the recent confrontations with Iran.
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