The feud between the two world leaders began when Trump claimed last week that Meloni asked “over and over” for a photo with him during the recent Group of Seven summit — and suggested she begged for such a picture.
Washington: Continuing his beef with Giorgia Meloni, US President Donald Trump has shared a bizarre meme, insinuating that the Italian prime minister was obsessed with him. Trump, 80, posted an edited photo with Meloni on his Truth Social platform, claiming he needed a restraining order against her.
In the photo, Meloni, 49, appeared to look upward at Trump with a smile, implying that the right-wing Italian leader was fond of him.
“Restraining order needed,” Trump wrote in the caption. The post was part of Trump’s Sunday posts made on Truth Social that included a falsified image of former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, waving before boarding an Air Force One that had been spray-painted with graffiti.
The post came ahead of the NATO summit in Turkey, where Trump and Meloni are expected to meet alongside other alliance leaders.
The Trump-Meloni Feud
The feud between the two world leaders began when Trump claimed last week that Meloni asked “over and over” for a photo with him during the recent Group of Seven summit — and suggested she begged for such a picture. He also stated that Europeans got everything wrong on energy and everything wrong on immigration, adding that if they do not solve these problems, Europe will never be the same.
Trump’s comments prompted Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a subsequent, planned trip to Washington, while Meloni called Trump’s account “completely fabricated,” saying, “Italy and I never beg.”
“I am not anti-American today; I was not kneeling yesterday. I am a person who believes that the West is stronger united, who believes that Italy is stronger in a united West, and has worked and continues to work for this. After that, however, solid relationships are also based on frankness, and I am a frank person,” Meloni told Rete 4, Italian news agency Adnkronos reported.
The relations between the two right-wing leaders deteriorated after Italy showed reluctance to aid the US effort against Iran.
