President Donald Trump doubled down on his claim that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “begged” him for a photograph at the G7 summit in France, even as Italy’s government fired back and its foreign minister canceled a planned U.S. trip in protest over the dispute.
Trump initially made the claim to Italian broadcaster La7, saying Meloni “wanted a photo with me so badly — I could have skipped it, but I felt sorry for her.” On Saturday, he reiterated the assertion on Truth Social, posting that Meloni had asked “over and over” for a picture with him during the June summit in Evian-les-Bains.
When reached by phone, Trump doubled down further. “That’s true,” he told NBC News, adding that Meloni “wasn’t there for us” in reference to Italy’s lack of military support during the Iran war.
Meloni responded swiftly and sharply. “I and Italy never beg,” she said in a statement, calling Trump’s account “totally fabricated.” She expressed astonishment at his comments, questioning why the U.S. president would treat longtime Western allies with less respect than adversaries.
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” Meloni said. “It’s not, after all, the first time this has happened.”
The dispute escalated when Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced he was canceling his planned visit to Washington scheduled for the following week. Tajani called Trump’s remarks “serious” and “offensive,” saying they “offend all of Italy.”
From Close Allies to Open Rift
The clash marks a dramatic reversal in what was once a close political partnership. Meloni was the only European Union leader invited to Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, underscoring their alliance at the time. Trump had previously praised her as a “fantastic woman” who was “really taking Europe by storm” during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
The relationship began to fray earlier this year over Italy’s stance on the Iran war. Meloni criticized Trump’s military campaign and sided with Pope Leo XIV when he condemned the conflict, prompting Trump to accuse her of lacking courage. The G7 photo dispute represents the latest and most public eruption of tensions between the two right-wing leaders.
Video footage from the summit showed Meloni and Trump seated together on a small sofa, engaged in an extended one-on-one conversation. However, Trump portrayed the interaction as something he had graciously granted rather than sought. “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her,” he told La7 after raising the subject himself during the interview.
Sources
- NBC News — Trump’s initial claim to La7 and his phone confirmation to NBC; Meloni’s response and background on their relationship.
- Reuters — Meloni’s statement calling Trump’s account “totally invented” and context on their deteriorating alliance.
- PBS NewsHour — Italian Foreign Minister Tajani’s cancellation of his U.S. trip and his condemnation of Trump’s remarks.
- The Hill — Trump’s doubling down on Truth Social and his criticism of Meloni’s lack of support during the Iran war.
