Trump says Italian PM begged for photo with him. Meloni calls story fabrication
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on June 19 accused her former close ally, US President Donald Trump, of fabricating a story about her after he told an Italian TV channel that she "begged" him to take a photo with her at the G7 summit. In addition, the Italian Foreign Minister canceled a visit to the United States after the incident.
This is reported by Reuters.
Meloni said that she was "surprised" by his comments, which were "completely fabricated." She also chided him for treating the West's enemies with far more respect than his old, trusted allies.
Underscoring how much Trump's comments had angered Meloni's government, Italy's Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, announced he was canceling a planned visit to the United States next week.
The latest exchange marks a sharp deterioration in relations and comes just days after the G7 summit showed signs that the two right-wing leaders had mended previously strained ties after this year's row over war with Iran.
What Donald Trump said
A video of the event in France showed Meloni and Trump, sitting side by side on a small sofa, engrossed in conversation, but the US leader suggested he was merely pandering to her by speaking to her.
"She's probably glad I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her," Trump was quoted as saying by La7 in a brief interview after he himself asked the reporter about the Italian Prime Minister.
"She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted to take a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken a picture, but I felt sorry for her," Trump said, according to a La7 translation.
The channel did not release the original audio recording, only a dubbed version.
How Meloni responded to Trump's comments
"Donald Trump's statements are a complete fabrication. I am, to be honest, shocked. I do not know why the President of the United States behaves in this way towards his allies: moreover, this is not the first time. I can only say that it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination towards the enemies of the West and the United States, leaders to whom, on the contrary, he treats with much more leniency," she replied.
Meloni also added: "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."
Announcing the cancellation of a planned trip to the United States, Foreign Minister Tajani said: "The serious and insulting words of President Trump addressed to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy."
The publication noted that one of Meloni's closest political allies, who usually avoids the media spotlight, spoke out sharply against Trump, using a tone that would have been unthinkable before.
Meloni was once an active supporter of Trump and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025. However, this year she criticized him for her harsh reaction to Pope Leo's condemnation of the conflict in Iran. This, in turn, provoked a sharp response from the US President, who accused her of a lack of courage.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told other world leaders during an informal conversation on the sidelines of the G7 summit that she had quit smoking. Meloni was unaware that the microphones were turned on during the conversation and that she could be heard not only by those nearby.