Trump reignites bizarre spat with Italian PM: ‘Asked over and over for a picture with me’

For the third time, President Donald Trump reinforced his version of events Saturday as it pertained to his bizarre spat with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who accused the president of fabricating a story about her begging for a photograph.

Trump told an Italian news network that during the Group of Seven summit in France, Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph together and that he “felt sorry for her.” Meloni fiercely denied Trump’s account of their interaction, accusing him of fabricating the story.

Trump stood by his story, however, telling NBC News on Friday that Meloni was “a big fan” of his. And on Saturday, the president pushed his version of events a third time in an explosive social media post on Truth Social.

“Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia 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 wrote.

“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. Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!!!”