Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday accused former close ally Donald Trump of fabricating a story after the US president claimed she had 'begged' him for a photo at a G7 summit. Meloni expressed astonishment, labeling the remarks as 'completely made up' and criticizing Trump for showing more deference to adversaries of the West than to longstanding allies.
Sharp Deterioration in Ties
The exchange marks a sharp deterioration in relations, coming just days after signs at the G7 summit suggested the two right-wing leaders had steadied ties following earlier tensions over the Iran conflict. Video footage from the summit showed Meloni and Trump seated side-by-side in conversation, but Trump later suggested he was merely indulging her by speaking.
'She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her,' Trump was quoted as saying by La7 TV in an interview. 'She begged me to take a picture with me so badly… I felt sorry for her.' The channel did not release the original audio, only a dubbed version.
Meloni Hits Back
Meloni responded sharply, stating: 'Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished.' She added, 'I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time. It is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West. Neither I nor Italy ever beg.'
Italian FM Cancels US Visit
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on X that Trump's comments were 'serious and offensive' and 'offend the whole of Italy,' confirming the cancellation of his scheduled US trip on June 21 and 22. Tajani wrote: 'The grave and offensive words of President Trump... offend the whole of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States planned for June 21 and 22.'
Meloni said she was 'stunned' by Trump's comments to La7, in which, according to a transcript provided by the network, he claimed Meloni 'wanted a picture with me so badly' at the G7 summit and he agreed only because he 'felt sorry for her.' He also suggested Meloni might be 'happy that I talked to her, I didn't have to talk to her.'
Meloni called the remarks 'made up,' adding: 'Neither I nor Italy ever beg.' She wrote on X: 'I don't know why the president of the US behaves this way with his own allies. I can only say that it's a pity he doesn't show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the US, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating.'
Background of Strained Relations
At the end of the G7 summit in Evian on Wednesday, Meloni had spoken of a 'very positive climate' and 'no friction' between Trump and other world leaders. Meloni has positioned herself as a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration, but the relationship came under strain during the Middle East war. Trump turned on Meloni in April after she defended Pope Leo XIV from the US president's harsh criticism of the pontiff's anti-war views.
Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a close Meloni ally, criticized Trump, saying it was unclear whether he was acting intentionally or out of ineptitude, but accused him of damaging US-Europe relations. 'With his inappropriate outbursts, he has managed to make the United States unpopular across the European continent,' he said. Meloni had previously been a strong supporter of Trump and attended his 2025 inauguration, though tensions have risen over recent geopolitical disputes.
