Thought it would be easier with Trump given our common ground Meloni tells NYT

Thought it would be easier with Trump given our common ground Meloni tells NYT

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 21 - Premier Giorgia Meloni told the New York Times Friday she thought it would be easier with United States President Donald Trump given their common political ground but it had not turned out that way in the long run, after he turned against her for failing to back his Iran war. "It's clear that with Donald Trump I thought things would be easier, given our common ground on immigration and woke culture. Things went differently," Meloni said. Meloni, who was the only EU leader invited to Trump's inauguration, said after a NATO summit in Ankara last month that she regrets nothing with Trump after they fell out over the Iran war and that she aims for Western unity. Asked about Trump's most recent dig at her, a photo of her looking up at him admiringly with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED", she made no comment. Trump said that Italy "did very bad" with its decisions on the use of its bases. Italy denied Washington permission for its bombers to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily during the Iran war in March. Rome's refusal to get involved in the Iran war led to the tension between Trump and Meloni, who had previously enjoyed a friendly relationship. Trump sparked a spat by saying Meloni "begged" him to have a photo with her at last month's G7 summit. She responded that the story was fabricated and criticised Trump for treating his allies badly while being soft with the West's adversaries. When Trump doubled down on the criticism with another attack, saying Meloni only wanted to patch things up with him to boost her domestic approval rating, the premier hit back by calling his attacks "senseless", saying her relations with him had not helped her approval rankings and telling him that her popularity was none of his business. Trump most recently said he liked Meloni and considered her a "good person" while reiterating his complaint that "she wasn't there for us" over the Iran war. (ANSA). Read article...