INTERNACIONAL
Trump blasts close ally Meloni, says she’s failing US on Iran
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Tensions between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated Tuesday after the U.S. president publicly rebuked one of his closest European allies, accusing her of lacking «courage» and failing to support Washington’s efforts against Iran.
In a phone interview with Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, Trump called Meloni «unacceptable» and said he was «shocked» by her stance, according to the outlet’s English-language version.
The dispute with Trump was further fueled by Meloni’s criticism of his recent remarks targeting Pope Leo XIV, which she called «unacceptable,» prompting Trump to respond that «she is the one who is unacceptable.»
In a scathing rebuke of the Vatican’s call for Middle Eastern de-escalation, President Trump took to Truth Social to blast Pope Leo XIV. Labeling the Pontiff «WEAK on Crime» and «terrible for Foreign Policy,» Trump warned him to «focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.» The post, which quickly went viral, accused the first American Pope of «catering to the Radical Left» at the expense of global security.
MORE KEY US ALLIES BLOCK MILITARY FLIGHTS AS IRAN WAR RIFT WIDENS WITH TRUMP
In the interview to Corriere della Sera Trump also reiterated criticism of Pope Leo XIV, saying the pontiff «has no idea what’s going on in Iran» and «doesn’t understand» what is at stake.
Tensions between Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni escalated Tuesday. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters)
She «isn’t giving us any help, I’m shocked by her,» Trump said about Meloni in the six-minute conversation.
He went further, accusing Meloni of relying on Washington while refusing to act.
«They depend on Donald Trump to keep it open,» he said, referring to global energy routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The comments mark a sharp shift in tone toward Meloni, who attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration and was praised by him as «a great leader» just weeks ago.
The White House and Meloni’s office did not immediately respond.
The public rift comes as Meloni has begun distancing herself from both Washington and Jerusalem amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.
RUBIO SAYS US MAY NEED TO ‘REEXAMINE’ NATO MEMBERSHIP AFTER ALLIES BLOCKED BASING, AIRSPACE HELP
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer applaud, following the official signing of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, during a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Oct. 13, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
On Tuesday, Meloni confirmed in a statement that Italy had suspended the automatic renewal of a long-standing defense cooperation agreement with Israel, signaling a significant recalibration in ties.
«In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel,» she said, according to Reuters.
The move follows recent tensions between Rome and Jerusalem, including Israeli warning shots fired near Italian troops serving in southern Lebanon under a U.N. mandate, as well as growing Italian criticism of Israeli military operations in the region.
Israel downplayed the impact of the decision, saying the agreement was largely symbolic and «has never contained any substantive content,» Reuters reported.
In Israel, opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the government following Italy’s move.
«Italy’s decision to suspend the defense cooperation agreement with Israel is another embarrassing failure of the prime minister and the non-existent foreign minister,» Lapid wrote on X.
TRUMP SAYS HE’S CONSIDERING PULLING US OUT OF NATO OVER IRAN WAR STANCE
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is greeted by US Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley (L) upon arrival at the White House South Portico in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2025. European leaders join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in talks with US President Donald Trump on August 18, as they try to find a way to end Russia’s offensive. The leaders heading to Washington on Monday to appear alongside Zelensky call themselves the «coalition of the willing.» (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
«Meloni is not a left-wing progressive European leader,» she added. «She belongs to the conservative right and understands the need to fight terrorism.»
Meloni’s shift reflects what analysts describe as a broader political repositioning, as the war’s economic fallout, particularly rising energy costs, weighs heavily on Italy’s import-dependent economy and public opinion.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani defended Meloni, reaffirming Italy’s alliance with the United States while emphasizing that cooperation must be grounded in «loyalty, respect and mutual frankness.»
The escalating tensions highlight growing fractures within Western alliances as the U.S.-led confrontation with Iran reverberates across Europe, forcing leaders like Meloni to balance strategic partnerships with domestic political realities.
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A ship is seen passing through the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)
The Israel Defense Ministry declined to comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
benjamin netanyahu, donald trump, war with iran, iran, foreign affairs
INTERNACIONAL
From rally gunfire to White House shooting, threats against President Trump continue to mount
Suspect identified after shooting near White House
Madeleine Rivera reports live from Washington, D.C., on the shooting incident near the White House where a gunman was killed after allegedly opening fire. Retired Secret Service agent Jeff James provides expert analysis on the incident during ‘Fox & Friends Weekend.’
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Saturday’s shootout between the Secret Service and a deranged gunman near the White House marked the latest in a growing series of threats and security incidents involving President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, intensifying concerns about political violence.
As investigators continue piecing together the incident, authorities said Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, approached a Secret Service checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW at about 6 p.m. local time, removed a weapon from his bag and opened fire on posted officers.
GUNMAN DEAD AFTER OPENING FIRE NEAR WHITE HOUSE CHECKPOINT, SECRET SERVICE SAYS
A 21-year-old man armed with a revolver was killed after exchanging gunfire with Secret Service agents near the White House gates, President Trump said. (Obtained by the New York Post)
According to a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the incident, Best — who allegedly had prior encounters with the Secret Service and a history of mental health issues — fired about three shots toward the executive mansion before he was taken down by Secret Service agents.
The shooting comes just weeks after another armed suspect rushed the entry point of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.
Authorities identified that suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of Torrance, California, who traveled to the nation’s capital armed with multiple weapons and carrying a manifesto outlining his intent. Investigators also said Allen shared anti-Trump rhetoric on social media and allegedly expressed hostility toward Christians in online posts reviewed by law enforcement.
WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS
Cole Allen allegedly ran past Secret Service agents in an attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump. (US Attorney Pirro)
According to investigators, Allen intended to target senior Trump administration officials attending the annual event before being stopped by law enforcement outside the Washington Hilton.
The alleged WHCA plot came less than two years after Trump survived two separate assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign, incidents that dramatically reshaped security operations around the president and other top officials.
In July 2024, a gunman opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee and injuring others before Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect. Federal investigators later described the shooting as one of the most serious security failures in decades.
TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST
Just months later, an armed suspect was discovered near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in what investigators described as a second assassination attempt. Prosecutors alleged the suspect had positioned himself near the course with a rifle before being spotted by Secret Service agents.
The heightened security posture has continued since those incidents.
In February, Secret Service agents fatally shot a 21-year-old man carrying a shotgun and gas canister outside Mar-a-Lago while Trump was in Washington. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an «unauthorized entry» through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting. The man was identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.
Beyond those incidents, federal officials have repeatedly warned about a broader rise in threats targeting Trump and current and former administration officials, including dangers linked to extremist rhetoric, online radicalization and foreign adversaries such as Iran.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AFTER FATAL SHOOTING AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE: OFFICIALS
President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 10, 2022. (Steve Helber/AP)
Security concerns have also extended beyond Trump himself, with repeated swatting incidents, online death threats and increased protection measures for judges, prosecutors, and public officials connected to politically charged investigations and events.
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Taken together, the incidents have heightened concerns inside federal law enforcement and the intelligence community about the escalating risk of political violence ahead of another contentious election cycle.
white house, homeland security, donald trump, national security, investigations, assassinations murders
INTERNACIONAL
El Salvador: Un agente municipal falleció tras accidente vial en el centro de San Salvador
Un agente del Cuerpo de Agentes Metropolitanos murió la mañana de este domingo tras ser embestido por un microbús de la Ruta 11 (que transita desde el distrito de San Marcos hacia el Centro de San Salvador), informó la Policía Nacional Civil. El choque ocurrió en la intersección de la 3ª Avenida Norte y 3ª Calle Poniente, del centro histórico de San Salvador. La víctima falleció en el lugar.
La Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) informó que el conductor del transporte público, Luis Enrique H. M., de 34 años, no respetó el semáforo en rojo y no tenía licencia de conducir.
Según las investigaciones preliminares de la Policía Nacional Civil, Hernández Martínez conducía el microbús de la Ruta 11 cuando impactó al agente del Cuerpo de Agentes Metropolitanos. La PNC indicó que el conductor se pasó el semáforo en rojo y que no portaba licencia de conducir al momento del incidente.
Momentos más tarde, la página de prensa de la alcaldía de San Salvador Centro compartió una nota de pésame por el fallecimiento de la víctima, identificada como Julio César Magaña Tobar: “Lamentablemente perdió la vida en el cumplimiento de su labor de proteger a los ciudadanos de San Salvador Centro. Expresamos nuestras más sinceras condolencias a su familia, elevando nuestras oraciones por su eterno descanso”.
El Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial reporta un incremento en el número de víctimas fatales en siniestros viales durante los primeros meses de 2026, con un total de 592 fallecidos entre el 1 de enero y el 23 de mayo, siendo los motociclistas y peatones los grupos más vulnerables. Según el informe anual, la Policía Nacional Civil registró 9.292 siniestros viales y 6.280 lesionados en el mismo periodo, lo que representa un aumento de 25% en muertes y 26% en personas heridas respecto al año anterior.
El análisis del Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial indica que los motociclistas encabezan la lista de víctimas fatales entre los usuarios vulnerables, con 259 decesos en lo que va del año. Los peatones también figuran entre los grupos de mayor riesgo, con 216 fallecidos, mientras que los ciclistas suman 13 muertes. Los datos, recogidos por la Policía Nacional Civil, muestran además que la cifra total de fallecidos superó en 117 casos el registro del mismo periodo de 2025.
De acuerdo con el Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial, la distracción del conductor es la principal causa de muertes, con 202 víctimas fatales. La velocidad excesiva provocó 139 decesos, seguida por la invasión de carril con 78 y la inexperiencia con 42. Entre las causas que generan mayor siniestralidad general también figuran no guardar la distancia reglamentaria y el irrespeto a las señales de tránsito.
El reporte anual señala que los siniestros viales aumentaron en 1.260 casos respecto a 2025, con un promedio diario de 65 incidentes. Las lesiones también crecieron, con 1.284 personas más afectadas y un promedio de 44 lesionados cada día. El tipo de incidente más frecuente corresponde a colisiones, con picos los días viernes y sábados, seguidos por choques y atropellos. Los “siniestros de características especiales” incluyen caídas de pasajeros, incidentes por derrames de aceite o caída de árboles, y hechos provocados por animales en la vía.
Según el informe del Observatorio Nacional de Seguridad Vial, la cantidad de detenidos por conducción peligrosa alcanzó 892 personas, un aumento del 11% respecto al año anterior. El análisis también muestra que las infracciones vinculadas a la invasión de carril y la distracción al volante son determinantes tanto en lesiones como en fallecimientos.
corresponsal:Desde San Salvador, El Salvador
INTERNACIONAL
Mass tanker blackout rattles Gulf ahead of 1.35M-barrel oil transfer amid US-Iran talks: firm
Trump pushes Iran for toll-free Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump insists on a toll-free Strait of Hormuz, pushing back against Iran’s claims of a ‘controlled maritime zone’ and potential tolls. The U.S. maintains total control through blockade measures, while economic sanctions and diplomatic efforts with Gulf allies intensify pressure on Iran’s nuclear program and regional ambitions.
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Maritime tracking transmissions collapsed near the UAE’s main oil hub, rattling Persian Gulf shipping hours before President Donald Trump announced progress was made on a bilateral peace deal with Iran, according to an AI maritime firm.
Maritime intelligence firm Windward AI first detected the blackout in Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions near Fujairah, suggesting heightened electronic warfare, jamming, deliberate AIS shutdowns and intense cyber interference near the key UAE oil port.
«Fujairah goes dark: AIS transmissions collapse after Iran’s PGSA announcement,» Windward warned in a post shared on X.
«Vessels are still in the area. They are loading less, and a meaningful number have gone dark,» the firm said.
GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: ‘HEIGHTENED RISK’
A tanker sits at the Port of Fujairah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran limits marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. (Reuters/Amr Alfiky/File Photo)
As Trump announced that an Iran deal was «largely negotiated» and would see a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah went on to move 1.35 million barrels of crude Sunday aboard a single tanker bound for South Korea.
«Today, May 24, the port moved 1.35 million barrels, a single VLCC, destined for South Korea,» Windward said before reporting a tense, ongoing «ceasefire posture» and blockade footprint quickly being set into place.
«One cargo doesn’t mark a return to baseline, but it’s the first signal of flow resuming out of Fujairah since the announcement,» Windward said.
Ahead of the barrel transfer, Trump had stated that Washington and Tehran had «largely finalized» a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement. He posted an AI-generated image depicting exploding IRGC fast boats in the strait.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END
A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)
Iran responded directly by continuing to declare the strategic maritime choke point stays under Tehran’s absolute control.
«We reaffirm that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under full Iranian administration and sovereignty, even in the event of reaching any future agreement,» Iran’s official military spokesperson, Ibrahim Al-Fiqar, said in a statement shared on X.
«The Islamic Republic emphasizes that the authorities to determine transit routes, timing, and issuance of maritime licenses are an absolute sovereign right exclusively in the hands of Tehran.»
The tanker blackout, crude transfer activity and movement toward a U.S.-Iran deal accelerated following the launch of Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority on May 20.
Overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the PGSA functions as a sovereign regulator by requiring ships to submit vessel, cargo, insurance and crew details — along with mandatory payments — for «safe passage» through the strait.
Regional analysts told Fox News Digital that, ahead of deal progression, Iran’s territorial claims had even been stretching beyond its own waters into areas tied to Oman and the UAE.
US EYES IRAN FAST BOATS WITH ‘KILL’ TACTICS TESTED IN VENEZUELA DRUG-BOAT STRIKES
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat sails in the Persian Gulf near the Bushehr nuclear power plant during a marine parade marking Persian Gulf National Day in Bushehr, Iran, on April 29, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)
Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital that enforcement «relies on the IRGC Navy’s asymmetric playbook.»
«This includes fast boats, drones, radar tracking, coastal missiles and selective intimidation rather than constant physical interdiction,» Vatanka said.
«Tehran wants Gulf states and major importers to gradually accept Iranian oversight of Hormuz as a new geopolitical reality,» he added.
While nuclear issues are dominating the current negotiations amid reports of a 60-day ceasefire, the PGSA has quickly emerged as an economic leverage tool threatening global oil and shipping markets.
«Now Hormuz is Iran’s main non-nuclear leverage tool,» Vatanka said as the PGSA he claimed gives Tehran a «mechanism to pressure rivals, favor allies and normalize IRGC oversight of one of the world’s most critical energy routes.»
According to Vatanka, the system was functioning as a wartime extortion mechanism.
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«Ships submit cargo and crew data for approval, while reports point to quiet ‘facilitation payments,’ preferential treatment for friendly states and uncertainty for everyone else,» Vatanka warned.
«Iran keeps the penalties deliberately vague. Noncompliant ships risk delays, harassment, drone surveillance, IRGC interception or denial of safe passage — enough pressure to encourage compliance without outright closing the strait.»
wars, conflicts, us navy, iran, trade
Un día clave para la autoridad de Milei
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