Opposition politicians in Italy demand Premier Giorgia Meloni clarify her government’s stance after US President Donald Trump reposted a message suggesting Rome plans to strike a separate trade deal with Washington and reduce support for Ukraine.
Opposition politicians in Italy have demanded that Premier Giorgia Meloni clarify her government’s stance after US President Donald Trump reposted a claim suggesting that Rome plans to strike a separate trade deal with Washington and reduce support for Ukraine.
On his Truth Social platform [oh the irony – Ed.], Trump shared a post by X user LynneP, which read: “Giorgia Meloni defies EU, pursues direct Trump trade deal! Bravo, Meloni! This is a brilliant move!” The post also included a video claiming Meloni was preparing to “scale back” Italy’s backing for Kyiv as it continues to fight Russia’s invasion.
However, it now appears that the video is a hoax. According to La Voce di New York, the clip was fabricated using artificial intelligence and attributes statements Meloni never made. Styled like a television news report, it features graphics and captions but never her actual voice. Instead, an AI-generated narration falsely accuses her of planning to bypass Brussels to reach direct agreements with Washington and limit aid to Kyiv.
The fake video was originally posted by @frontlinepulse, a TikTok account with about 15,000 followers that regularly shares manipulated, pseudo-journalistic content. The same account recently spread another piece of fake news claiming that Italy and Hungary had left the European Union.
Despite the clip’s obvious inauthenticity, Trump reshared it from LynneP (@LynneBP_294), a well-known MAGA activist, amplifying the misinformation to his millions of followers.
Opposition MPs still demand clarification over Trumps’ words
The claims sparked strong reactions in Rome. Chiara Braga, Lower House whip of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), called on Meloni to give an immediate explanation. “Is it true that Italy is about to negotiate directly with the United States on pasta duties? Is it true that Italy intends to scale back support for Ukraine?” Braga asked.
“President Trump’s words leave little room for interpretation. Meloni must clarify which side Italy is on and whether it is destined to be Trump’s outpost to break the European front and weaken the European Union, which is not only an economic partnership but a political pact based on shared values, rights, and freedoms.”
The controversy followed Trump’s reposting of a 21-second video of Meloni speaking at the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) event on Saturday. In her recorded message, the Italian premier thanked Trump for reinstating Columbus Day in the United States. She also criticised “woke culture” for trying “to divide us, to redefine our history, and to tear down our shared traditions.”
EC says Italy fully coordinated over pasta tariffs
In Brussels, the European Commission responded on Monday, confirming that there was “full coordination with the Italian government” on the issue of possible US tariffs on Italian pasta. A spokesperson said the EU executive was “working closely” with Rome to maintain a unified approach to trade policy.
Under EU law, the Union collectively handles trade negotiations with non-member states. This means individual member states cannot sign independent agreements.
Meloni’s government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the claims.
