Italian PM Giorgia Meloni rejects anti‑US label, backs right‑wing presidency, slams Vannacci
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told the Rete 4 programme “10 minutes” that she is neither anti‑American nor “kneeling” and that a united West makes Italy stronger. She said flights from Italian bases are routine, non‑offensive NATO activities and stressed solid ties with the United States despite recent criticism from former President Donald Trump. Meloni added that a right‑wing candidate for the presidency should no longer be a taboo and claimed the opposition, including Roberto Vannacci’s Futuro Nazionale, votes like the left and seeks to “destroy” the government.
She defended the government’s stance on “remigration” as voluntary repatriation, rejected accusations of undue deference to Washington and Brussels, and reiterated that the proposed electoral law “does not favour anyone, it favours Italians”. In a separate post she commemorated journalist Oriana Fallaci, describing the West as a civilization built on freedom, dignity, democracy and law. The controversy also led Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned business‑forum visit to Miami after Trump’s remarks.
Overall, Meloni portrayed a pragmatic, pro‑Western foreign policy while positioning the centre‑right as a legitimate contender for the highest state offices and confronting internal dissent within the right‑wing coalition.