Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni denied Trump’s claim that she begged him for a photo at the G7 summit in France, calling his remarks “completely fabricated” and declaring that “Italy and I do not beg.”
President Donald Trump told the Italian television network La7 on Friday that Meloni had “begged” him to take a picture with her during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, which concluded on June 17. “She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her,” Trump said, according to La7’s translation of the interview.
Meloni responded swiftly in a video message, saying she was “frankly astonished” by Trump’s statements. “Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up. I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover,” she said. She added that Trump shows far greater deference to enemies of the West than to longtime allies.
The exchange prompted Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned trip to the United States scheduled for the weekend, calling Trump’s remarks “serious and offensive” to both Meloni and Italy. Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto also criticized the comments, saying he did not believe Meloni would ever beg for a photograph, “not even under threat.”
The public row marks a sharp deterioration in ties between the two leaders, who had appeared to be mending their relationship at the summit. Video from the G7 showed Meloni and Trump engaged in conversation, and at one point, when asked by European Council President Antonio Costa if the two had made up, Meloni said “we’ve always been friends.” Trump smiled and joked, “I was abandoned,” to which Meloni laughed and replied, “No, you were not.”
The tension reflects months of strain in Trump-Meloni relations stemming from disputes over the U.S.-Israel war in Iran and Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV. Meloni had been a vocal Trump supporter and was the only European Union leader to attend his inauguration in January 2025. However, tensions escalated in April when Meloni defended Pope Leo after Trump attacked the pontiff for condemning the Iran war, and when Italy refused to support the U.S. military campaign. Trump responded by accusing Meloni of lacking “courage” and said she had “changed.”
According to Reuters, Meloni said she was disappointed that Trump “does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence.” She emphasized that neither she nor Italy would ever resort to begging, underscoring Italy’s commitment to maintaining its dignity in international relations.
Sources
- Reuters — Meloni’s full denial of Trump’s claim, her criticism of his treatment of allies versus adversaries, and the context of their earlier tensions
- ANSA — Trump’s exact statements to La7 television about Meloni begging for a photo, and Meloni’s initial response
- Bloomberg — Confirmation that the exchange shows no real reconciliation between the two leaders despite apparent amends at the summit
- India Today — Italy’s diplomatic response, including Tajani’s cancellation of his U.S. trip, Crosetto’s defense of Meloni, and the broader context of strained Italy-U.S. ties over Iran, Ukraine, and Gaza
