Trump lashes out at Europe and predicts Starmer's downfall in a series of social media attacks Reuters United States President Donald Trump posted criticisms of Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, this Sunday (21). 📱 Favorite g1 on Google and follow the top news of the day ✅ Follow g1's international news channel on WhatsApp On Truth Social, the Republican stated first that Starmer has "failed badly" in solving the UK's immigration and energy issues and will therefore leave office.
"Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He has failed badly on two very important subjects: IMMIGRATION and ENERGY (OPEN UP NORTH SEA OIL DRILLING!).
I wish him well!" he stated. Hours later, Trump said that the Prime Minister did not consider getting involved in combating Iran's "nuclear threat".
"After spending trillions of dollars on NATO, Italy and its Prime Minister wouldn't even think about getting involved with the Islamic Republic of Iran and its very serious nuclear threat. We have defended them for decades, but when put to the test, they are not there to defend us and the rest of the world.
Not good!" he stated. The post about Meloni comes days after the Italian Prime Minister accused Trump of making up a story about her after the US president told an Italian TV channel that she "begged" to take a picture with him during the G7 summit. Understand the war of words between Trump and Giorgia Meloni In an interview with La7 TV, after asking the journalist about the Italian prime minister himself, Trump stated: "She begged me to take a picture with her.
She really wanted a picture with me. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her." Meloni said she was "surprised" by the comments and assured they are "completely fabricated".
She also rebuked the American for acting with much more deference toward Western enemies than toward former allies. "Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly surprised.
I don't know why the President of the United States behaves this way with his allies: moreover, this is not the first time. I can only say that it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination against the enemies of the West and the United States, whose leaders he treats with much more leniency.
There is one thing he must remember: neither I nor Italy have ever begged," she stated. Videos of the G7 event in France showed Meloni and Trump in a deep conversation, sitting side-by-side on a small sofa (see below). The American leader suggested that he had only pleased her by chatting with her. Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni talking on a sofa during the G7 summit Office of the Italian Prime Minister/Handout via REUTERS Following the episode, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced he had canceled a trip he was scheduled to make to the United States next week to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"President Trump's grave and offensive words regarding Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy," the minister condemned on social media X. Giovanbattista Fazzolari, undersecretary to the Italian prime minister's office and one of her closest political allies, also spoke out in a statement and criticized Trump's stance, saying that "with his inappropriate outbursts," he managed to "make the United States unpopular across the European continent, harming not only Europe, but above all the United States." What is behind the war of words between Trump and Meloni In April, Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni, formerly close allies, began trading criticisms. Meloni criticized Trump after the US president called Pope Leo XIV “weak” for condemning the war in Iran: “I consider President Trump's words regarding the Holy Father unacceptable. The pope is the leader of the Catholic Church, and it is right and natural that he calls for peace and condemns all forms of war.” The response came a day later.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Trump said he was “shocked” by the Italian leader's stance and stated he believed she lacked courage. “She is no longer the same person, and Italy will never be the same country again.” Meloni defends the pope once again against Trump's criticism Despite the episode involving Leo XIV, the estrangement between Trump and Meloni began months earlier. Analysts interviewed by The York Times assess that the prime minister seized the moment to signal to domestic audiences a distancing from the US president amid polls indicating rising unpopularity for both among Italian voters. 👉 Understand below how Trump and Meloni grew closer and further apart. Bridge with the USA Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and United States President Donald Trump in April 2025 REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein Meloni was always seen as one of the European leaders closest to Trump.
The two shared similar positions on issues like combating illegal immigration and criticisms of progressive agendas, which they classified as “woke”. The rapprochement began even before Meloni came to power. In 2018, she hosted former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon at a conservative conference in Italy when she was still considered a rising politician. The following year, Meloni participated in a conservative event in the United States.
She spoke on the same day as Trump. When Trump returned to the White House in 2025, Meloni was the only European leader present at the inauguration ceremony in Washington. The prime minister frequently praised the Republican's policies and came to be seen as a trusted US figure in Europe. The climate began to change last April when Trump announced trade tariffs against dozens of countries, including European allies.
Meloni stated that the United States was making the wrong decision by taxing goods from the continent. Even so, that same month, the prime minister traveled to Washington and met with Trump at the White House. The meeting, held in front of journalists in the Oval Office, was marked by mutual praise.
Meloni was even pointed to as a potential bridge between the US and Europe. In October, the two starred in an unusual moment during an event in Egypt for the signing of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. “In America, if you tell a woman she is pretty, your political career is over. But I'll take the risk,” Trump said during his speech.
Then, turning to Meloni, who was behind him, he said: “You're not going to be offended if I say you're beautiful, are you? Because you are.” The prime minister smiled and kept a good sense of humor while Trump described her as “incredible” and “successful”. At other moments during the event, however, she appeared bored. Crisis Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump greet each other at the 'Gaza summit' in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt Suzanne Plunkett/Pool/Reuters The relationship took on new dimensions in January when Trump renewed his defense of the annexation of Greenland, an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty. The proposal was rejected by European countries, which even deployed military personnel for exercises on the island.
Asked about the matter at a press conference, Meloni tried to balance a conciliatory tone with a firmer one. “I do not believe in the hypothesis that the US would initiate military action in Greenland, which I would not agree with,” she stated. “I believe the Trump administration, with its very assertive methods, is drawing attention to Greenland's strategic importance.” In February, when the US attacked Iran in a joint operation with Israel, Italy was taken by surprise.
The Italian Minister of Defense was on vacation in the United Arab Emirates and had to be rescued on a military jet. The incident became a target of mockery by the opposition. “For months we were told that Meloni was the bridge between Trump and Europe.
Today we discover that the White House notified the British, French, Germans, and even Poles about the operation in Iran. Everyone except us Italians.
How shameful!” wrote opposition leader Matteo Renzi. Polls quickly indicated that Italians did not support the American offensive. Furthermore, the war caused gas and energy prices to spike in the country.
All of this occurred the same month Italy was heading to the polls to vote on a judicial reform backed by Meloni. Faced with this scenario, the prime minister began condemning the war. In the early days of the conflict, she stated she was concerned about the conflict and said the United States acted without consulting European allies. Days later, Meloni declared that Italy would not participate in the war.
Additionally, the Italian Minister of Defense stated that the attack on Iran “occurred outside the norms of international law”. In another gesture, Meloni refused to allow United States fighter jets to use an air base in Sicily for combat operations in Iran. Even so, the prime minister ended up defeated in the referendum on judicial reform.
The result strengthened the opposition, which had been struggling to counter the government's policies. Opportunity Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on April 15, 2026 REUTERS/Remo Casilli According to The New York Times, experts assess that Meloni may have capitalized on the crisis between Trump and the pope to break with the US president. Analysts believe a definitive estrangement could change the perception of Italian voters uncomfortable with the US. On Tuesday (14), in another move in that direction, she announced that Italy would not renew a defense agreement with Israel.
The measure was adopted after warning shots hit an Italian convoy participating in the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. 🔎 The decision, according to analysts interviewed by the Associated Press, was motivated more by domestic politics than by a strategic shift. Meanwhile, the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, stated that relations between the United States and Italy will not be shaken by the controversy involving Pope Leo.
“Italy and the United States are allied countries and maintain their relationship and alliance within international institutions, starting, obviously, with the Atlantic Alliance,” he said in an interview with Radio 24. Meanwhile, Trump insisted this Wednesday that the relationship between the two countries has deteriorated. “It has been negative,” he said in an interview with Fox News.
“Anyone who refused to help us on this Iran issue no longer has the same relationship with us.” On the other hand, Mariangela Zappia, former Italian ambassador to the United States, stated that the personal crisis between Meloni and Trump should not affect relations between the two countries. According to her, Trump has been acting impulsively after becoming frustrated with Europe regarding Iran. “Europe certainly considers the United States a historical ally, but, in a way, it wants to participate in the decisions that are made,” Zappia told the Associated Press. VIDEOS: g1 most watched.
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