Trump hits out at Italy's Meloni after pushback on G7 photo claim

Trump hits out at Italy's Meloni after pushback on G7 photo claim13 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJoshua CheethamHandout via REUTERSGiorgia Meloni talked to the US president on Wednesday at the G7 summit in Evian in FranceUS President Donald Trump has hit out at Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, repeating his claim that she asked "over and over" for a picture of them together at the G7 summit this week.In a post on Truth Social, Trump also accused her of not supporting US efforts to "deny] Iran from obtaining or developing a nuclear weapon".He said that Meloni caused "a great logistical inconvenience" by barring the US from using Italian air facilities for American military operations in Iran.On Friday, the prime minister said she had been astonished by Trump's initial claim that she "begged" for a photo. In his post on Truth Social a day later, the US president said Meloni was "doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity"."Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her "numbers up." No thanks!!!," he added.In March, Italy reportedly denied US military air craft from landing at Sigonella air base in Sicily for operations against Iran.The continued exchange has highlighted a developing rift between the two countries since Trump's military action against Iran this year. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has also cancelled a trip to the US early next week.'Neither I nor Italy ever beg': Meloni on Trump after 'false' anecdoteTrump and Meloni were pictured in close conversation at the G7 summit in France this week, and the Italian leader later told reporters their relationship was unchanged and there had been "no recriminations".But soon afterwards, Trump gave a phone interview with Italy's La7 TV channel in which he alleged: "She begged me to take a p...