Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has intensified her public dispute with US President Donald Trump, telling him to focus on his own popularity after he questioned her standing with Italian voters and repeated claims that she repeatedly sought a photograph with him. Get today's headlines by email The latest exchange unfolded on social media after Trump said on Saturday that Meloni was “doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity”. He also accused her of failing to support US efforts to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. In a post on Instagram, Meloni dismissed what she described as Trump’s “constant, unprovoked attacks” as “senseless”. Addressing his remarks about her domestic support, she said that being associated with Trump had certainly not boosted her popularity and that her political standing did not depend on her relationship with the US president. “My popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours,” she wrote. Dispute Over Military FacilitiesTrump also accused the Italian leader of creating “a great logistical inconvenience” by refusing to allow the United States to use Italian air facilities for military operations involving Iran. Meloni rejected the criticism, saying access to Italian bases is governed by longstanding agreements that Italy has consistently respected. She added that those arrangements would not be violated while she remained prime minister. Row Began After G7 SummitThe dispute escalated following the recent G7 summit in France, where the two leaders were seen speaking privately and appeared to maintain cordial relations. After the meeting, Meloni told reporters that their relationship remained unchanged and that there had been “no recriminations”. However, Trump later told Italy’s La7 television channel that Meloni had “begged” him to take a photograph with her. “She begged me to take a photo with her; I felt sorry for her,” Trump said during the interview. He also suggested she should be pleased that he had spoken with her. Meloni responded in an Instagram video, saying she was “frankly stunned” by the comments. “I don’t know why the US president behaves this way towards allies,” she said, adding that such behaviour was not unprecedented. “But there is one thing he needs to remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg.” Growing Strains Between AlliesThe continuing war of words has highlighted increasing tensions between Rome and Washington following Trump’s military action against Iran earlier this year. Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, has since cancelled a planned visit to the United States scheduled for early next week. Meloni’s response has drawn support from across Italy’s political spectrum, with politicians from different parties backing her defence of Italy’s position. The pair have also clashed previously. Earlier this year, Trump criticised Pope Leo XIV on social media, describing him as weak on crime and poor on foreign policy. Meloni condemned those remarks as “unacceptable”. Despite the recent tensions, the two leaders had previously maintained a close political relationship. Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, underscoring what had been viewed as a strong partnership between the two governments. RELATED ARTICLE: https://aseannow.com/topic/1397103-italys-meloni-rebukes-trump-over-begged-for-photo-claim/ Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 21 June 2026
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