The Italian government is pushing back against President Trump, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accusing him of making up a story about her begging for a photo at the Group of Seven (G7) summit, and the country’s top diplomat canceling a visit to the U.S. in protest. In an extraordinary rebuke, Meloni posted a video on…
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A diplomatic firestorm between President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sparked global reactions Friday.The prime minister acidly denied Trump's claims to an Italian TV network that she had "begged" him for a photo together during this week's G7 summit and that he agreed because he "felt sorry for her." Meloni claimed his comments were "completely made up.""I am frankly astonished," Meloni said. "I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies. It is not the first time, moreover.""I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence," she added. "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani responded to the row by scrapping his planned U.S. visit, writing on X that Trump's "serious and offensive words" toward Meloni "offend the whole of Italy."The 80-year-old president drew global condemnation for his comments about Meloni, who had been one of his strongest allies in Europe."I believe her," said journalist John McGuirk."She's fabulous," gushed defense analyst Michael Shurkin."Italian fire and brimstone," marveled Bruno Tertrais, of the Foundation for Strategic Research."This dust up with Italy is a perfect example of many of Trump's missteps," observed The Dispatch's Mike Nelson. "He tells a blatant lie without any reason, just because he has to sound like people are so willing to grovel to him. The false story gets him nothing and the fallout costs the United States.""Something to ponder for those Polish politicians who are investing all their chips in the fickle — as we can see yet again — favor of the Orange Genius and Winner of All Wars," noted Polityka's Michal Danielewski."Trump has never met an ally he does not try to screw over in the end," snarled MS NOW contributor Marc Polymeropoulos."Incredible (and real, not fake) thrashing of Trump but the PM who was at one time probably his strongest supporter in Europe (aside from the departed Orban)," noted author Gary Lucas."Trump just can’t keep himself from bullying women. It’s basic to his nature," said Phillips P. OBrien, a professor at the University of St. Andrews."She sounds genuinely fed up with this," added Alex Clarkson, a lecturer at King's College in London."Meloni is a fascist and all that, but it likely took a beautiful blonde who is one of Trump's only European allies to really kick back for his ... abuse of women," argued legal expert Marcy Wheeler."Trump has been crossing far too many lines," opined FirstPost's Sreemoy Talukdar. "An egomaniac whose senility has gone ahead of his low cunning. Behaves like a wet cat before autocrats and dictators, piles on leaders of democracies.""I'm afraid that the war @POTUS is waging with @GiorgiaMeloni will end for the US president just like the conflict with Iran," concluded Marek Magierowski, former Polish ambassador to the U.S. and Israel. "The prime minister has boiled over, like Mount Vesuvius. I know a few Italian women, and I wouldn't want to get into an argument with any of them. By the way, I don't recall such a sharp, public clash between the leaders of two allied nations in recent years."
A diplomatic firestorm erupted Friday after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused President Trump of fabricating a story about her — and her government responded by canceling a planned diplomatic visit to Washington.The dispute traces back to comments Trump made to Italian channel La7, claiming Meloni had "begged" him for a photo together at the G7 summit, reported Reuters. "She's probably happy I talked to her," Trump said, according to the network's dubbed translation. "I didn't have to talk to her. I felt sorry for her."Meloni didn't hold back in her response to the 80-year-old Trump's characterization of the encounter."Donald Trump's statements are completely made up," Meloni said. "I am frankly astonished. I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies. It is not the first time, moreover.""I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence," she added. "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani scrapped his planned U.S. visit, writing on X that Trump's "serious and offensive words" toward Meloni "offend the whole of Italy."Journalist Antonello Guerrera characterized it on X as, "All hell breaks loose between Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni."Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a close Meloni ally and government undersecretary, went further, suggesting Trump was actively damaging the transatlantic alliance. "It is unclear whether out of intent or ineptitude he is wrecking the historic relations between the United States and Europe," he said.The clash undercuts what had looked like a thaw between the two right-wing leaders, who appeared friendly just days earlier at the G7. Video showed them in close conversation on a shared sofa. That followed earlier tension this year, after Meloni criticized Trump for attacking Pope Leo over his comments on the Iran war — a rebuke that prompted Trump to accuse her of lacking courage.Meloni had once been among Trump's most prominent European allies, the only EU leader to attend his 2025 inauguration.
Two U.S. officials told Axios on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, but clashes continued even after it was supposed to be in effect.Hezbollah sources told Reuters the group would observe the ceasefire, but a spokesperson for Israel's military declined to confirm its participation.Why it matters: The continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah led to the postponement of U.S.-Iran talks planned for Friday. U.S. officials hope the talks can now be launched.The conflict has displaced more than one million people and Israel is still occupying a swath of southern Lebanon. The U.S.-Iran deal includes a ceasefire in Lebanon, but Israeli officials have raised doubts about their commitment to any such truce. Political allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have openly attacked the deal.Tehran claimed Israel's attacks in Lebanon on Thursday morning were a violation of the U.S.-Iran MOU.Driving the news: A senior U.S. official told Axios the renewed ceasefire in Lebanon was mediated by the U.S. and Qatar and went into effect at 4pm local time (9am ET). But in the hour after the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect, the Israeli military conducted strikes in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah launched drones towards northern Israel.What they're saying: "Netanyahu approved it 100%," the senior U.S. official said. Netanyahu's office has not confirmed that, and the military spokesperson, Efi Defrin, said the ceasefire was a matter for political leadership and he could not confirm.Defrin stressed that Israeli forces would stay in southern Lebanon and operate against threats.Two Hezbollah sources told Reuters the group considered the truce to now be in effect.How it happened: On Thursday afternoon, President Trump, the speaker of Lebanon's parliament and the Israeli ambassador to Lebanon all expressed commitment to the ceasefire in Lebanon. But several hours later, on Thursday night, Hezbollah conducted several attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, killing at least 4 Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with massive strikes on Hezbollah targets across Lebanon.That led to the postponement of the U.S.-Iran talks, which were to be held in Switzerland.A spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry confirmed the postponement and said the conditions for negotiations had yet to be met. "Holding the said meeting in Switzerland is not urgent, but we are planning to hold a meeting in the coming days," he said.Go deeper: Trump tells "The Axios Show" there are "no limits" to his power after Iran war
A high-profile ex-CNN anchor singled out the insider said to be the "biggest leaker" in the Trump White House.Don Lemon said during an interview with Legal AF host Michael Popok that Vice President "J.D. Vance is like the biggest leaker of them all" in the White House based on what "many people have said and according to some of the reporting."Lemon and Popok were talking about Trump's efforts to hunt down the insider who leaked details of a "freakout" in the Situation Room over the Epstein files. The freakout is detailed in the forthcoming book Regime Change by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan."Donald Trump could very well be one of the people who leaked to" Haberman, Lemon admitted, adding that it's possible Trump "doesn't even realize it."However, he and Popok made the case for suspecting Vance is at least "the biggest source for people," as Lemon put it."He looks good in the story, relatively," Popok said, referring to the NY Times reporting on the Epstein freakout in the Situation Room. "Among the liars in the room, he looks like he's the one that says, 'let's get the story out about Donald Trump'...I'm like, among those people in the room, that was like the best thing to say."Lemon pointed to reporting on the Iran war that also seemed to favor Vance."Remember, the reporting was that J.D. Vance was the only one in the room who was against it," Lemon explained. "It's like, well, how does J.D. Vance always come out looking better than anyone?"Trump Chickens Out and Won’t Go After NYT Reporters for Epstein & Iran Leaks?! by Legal AFRead on Substack