Donald Trump was "shocked" by Giorgia Meloni. "She doesn't want to help us in the war," the US president said in a telephone conversation with Corriere della Sera .
"Do people like the fact that your president isn't doing anything about getting oil? Do people like her? I can't imagine. I'm shocked by her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong ," Donald Trump reiterated.
Again: "She simply says that Italy doesn't want to get involved. Even though Italy gets its oil from there, even though America is very important to Italy, she doesn't think Italy should be involved. She thinks America should do the work for her ."
The tycoon was asked to comment on Giorgia Meloni's comments, who called Trump's attack on Pope Francis "unacceptable": "It's you who's unacceptable, because you don't care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if you had the chance. You don't want to help us with NATO, you don't want to help us with nuclear weapons ."
Giorgia Meloni "is no longer the same person, and Italy will never be the same country," the tycoon added. "Immigration is killing Italy and all of Europe."
Trump said he hasn't spoken to Meloni "for a long time," precisely because "she doesn't want to help us." Yet only a month has passed since, in another interview with Corriere, the tycoon called the prime minister "a friend and a great leader who always tries to help."
This morning, the Prime Minister reiterated her views on Trump's attack on the Pope: "What I said is what I think. The statements about the Pontiff are unacceptable. I express my solidarity with Pope Leo, and I'll go further: I wouldn't feel comfortable in a society where religious leaders do what political leaders say. Not in this part of the world."
Clear words that came yesterday evening, following a post this morning deemed too "soft" by the opposition. With these words, Meloni "earned" Donald Trump's first frontal attack . The tycoon had taken issue with just about everyone for the failure to intervene on Hormuz and the lack of support for the war in Iran. Generally against NATO allies, particularly Pedro Sanchez, Emmanuel Macron, and Keir Starmer. He had never before attacked Giorgia Meloni head-on, until today .
"We are and remain sincere supporters of Western unity and solid allies of the United States, but this unity is built on mutual loyalty, respect, and frankness," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani commented today on X. "We are accustomed to saying what we think because that's what serious people do. Until now, President Trump considered Giorgia Meloni a courageous person. He wasn't wrong because she's a woman who never gives up on speaking her mind. And regarding Pope Leo XIV, she said exactly what all of us Italian citizens think. The Prime Minister and the Government are and will always defend only Italy's interests."
(Unioneonline/L)