Trump doubles down in feud with Italian prime minister, says she is ‘doing poorly’

President Donald Trump on Saturday added more fuel to the growing feud between his one-time close ally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The American president says Meloni was desperate to take a photo with him at the G-7 economic conference earlier this week to bolster her flagging popularity in Italy. Meloni claims Trump is lying and has accused him of treating U.S. allies worse than enemies. 
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France. She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!),” Trump posted to Truth Social on Saturday. 
“She wouldn’t even let us use Italy’s landing strips or runways, a great logistical inconvenience, and this despite the fact the U.S. contributes hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year to protect Italy, and other “so-called” NATO Allies,” he added. “Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!!!”
The pair have been ideological allies for years and Meloni has often acted as a mediator and interpreter between Trump and other countries of the European Union due to her political affinity and friendship with the American president. 
But, tensions have grown between the two governments over differing approaches to the wars in Iran and Ukraine and trade disputes between the European Union and the United States. 
After President Trump said earlier this week that Meloni had “begged” for a photo, the Italian Prime Minister responded that she was “stunned.” 
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” Meloni said in a statement. “It’s not the first time it’s happened, I can only say it’s unfortunate he doesn’t show the same determination towards the west’s enemies.”

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