Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rebuked President Donald Trump on Friday over his claim that she had “begged” him for a photograph at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, calling the story “totally fabricated” and expressing astonishment at his remarks.
Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 in a brief interview that Meloni had pleaded with him for a joint photo during the June 17 summit. “She begged me to take a picture with her. 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.
In a sharply worded video response posted on social media, Meloni said Trump’s statements were “completely made up” and that she was “frankly astonished” by his behavior. “I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies,” she said. “It is not the first time, moreover.”
Meloni also criticized Trump’s broader approach to international relations, suggesting he shows greater deference to adversaries than to established Western allies. “I can only say it is disappointing that he 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 said. “There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg.”
Video footage from the G7 showed Meloni and Trump in an extended one-on-one conversation seated together on a small sofa. According to a European diplomatic source cited by Reuters, Meloni was one of the most forceful voices at the summit, openly challenging Trump on several points and firmly defending Europe’s stance.
Diplomatic Fallout Deepens
The exchange escalated sharply when Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Trump’s comments as “serious” and “offensive” to the entirety of Italy. Tajani announced Friday that he was canceling a planned trip to the United States scheduled for the following week, marking a significant gesture of protest.
A U.S.-Italy business conference scheduled for Monday in Miami was also called off after Tajani’s cancellation, according to the Italian embassy. The U.S. State Department did not respond when asked about the cancelled trip.
Giovanbattista Fazzolari, an undersecretary to Meloni’s office and one of her closest political allies, struck out at Trump in unusually strong language. “It is unclear whether out of intent or ineptitude (Trump) is wrecking the historic relations between the United States and Europe,” Fazzolari said. “With his inappropriate outbursts, he has managed no easy feat, to make the United States unpopular across the entire European continent.”
Meloni was once regarded as Trump’s closest political ally in Europe. She was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in January 2025, and Trump had previously called her a “fantastic woman” who was “really taking Europe by storm” when they met at his Mar-a-Lago resort in January 2025.
However, their relationship has deteriorated significantly since then. Earlier this year, Meloni criticized Trump after he lashed out at Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff’s condemnation of the Iran conflict. Trump responded by accusing her of lacking courage, exposing divisions in what was once viewed as a strong political partnership.
In a phone call with NBC News on Friday, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Meloni, saying she was “a big fan” but that he did not want her as one because she had not supported U.S. efforts regarding the Strait of Hormuz. NATO allies including Italy had refused to be drawn into the war on Iran or help secure the strategic waterway after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks in late February.
Sources
- NBC News — Meloni’s statement, Trump’s comments to Italian broadcaster La7, context on their relationship history, and details of the G7 interaction.
- Reuters — Meloni’s video response, Tajani’s cancellation of his U.S. trip, Fazzolari’s statement, and European diplomatic source account of Meloni’s role at the summit.
- CNN — Tajani’s announcement of the cancelled U.S. trip and his characterization of Trump’s remarks as offensive.
