Donald Trump publicly criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, accusing her of lacking courage and failing to support efforts to combat Iran’s nuclear program.
The US President, Donald Trump, delivered a harsh public rebuke to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, expressing his “shock” at her stance on the war in Iran. This occurred during an interview published by Italian daily Corriere della Sera. Trump stated he initially believed Meloni possessed courage but was proven wrong. The criticism followed Meloni’s condemnation of Trump’s previous criticism of Pope Leo XIV. Trump questioned Meloni’s commitment to addressing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stating she "doesn’t mind that Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if they had the chance.” Previously, Meloni had been one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe, often acting as a mediator between US and European viewpoints. However, Trump revealed they hadn’t spoken in a month, expressing dissatisfaction with her lack of support for NATO and her reluctance to address the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear weapons. He also characterized NATO as a "paper tiger” and criticized Europe’s perceived inaction regarding the Hormuz Strait. Trump further asserted that Italy was struggling with immigration issues. Reactions to Trump’s remarks were swift. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni, emphasizing the importance of mutual loyalty and respect between allies, while acknowledging Trump’s previous assessment of her as a courageous figure. Conversely, centre-left leader Elly Schlein condemned Trump's behavior as a "serious lack of respect," aligning Italy’s position with a rejection of war. Furthermore, Italy suspended a defense agreement with Israel following accusations of Israeli forces firing warning shots at a convoy of Italian peacekeepers in Lebanon. This action heightened tensions between Italy and Israel. DATA: See above within the report.
Sources: Based on reporting from Al Jazeera
✨ This report was generated by AI News Assistant.
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