Trump mocks Meloni after G7 meeting: Italy’s FM cancels US trip
Donald Trump sparked a diplomatic row with Italy after claiming Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni begged him for a photo at the G7 summit, prompting Meloni to reject his account as fabricated.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster La7, Trump claimed that Meloni had begged him for a photograph together during the recent summit, according to Nius. The US President told the station that she had pleaded with him for the photo opportunity, and that he eventually agreed out of pity.
The Italian Prime Minister swiftly rejected Trump’s account as fabricated. In a video statement posted to Instagram, Meloni expressed her astonishment at the American President’s claims and made clear her displeasure with his conduct toward a close ally.
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Relations between Trump and Meloni have been strained for months. The US President previously criticized the Italian leader sharply after she described his verbal attacks on Pope Leo XIV as unacceptable. Trump said at the time that he had been shocked by Meloni and felt he had misjudged her character.
At the G7 summit in Évian earlier this week, Italian sources indicated that a clearing-the-air conversation had taken place between the two leaders. Italian media published photographs showing Trump and Meloni sitting together on a couch in conversation. Diplomatic sources subsequently reported that both sides had emphasized the importance of Western unity.
In the La7 interview, Trump himself raised the subject of Meloni, first asking the journalist how his Prime Minister was doing. He then suggested she was probably pleased that he had spoken with her, adding that he had not been obliged to do so. He proceeded to claim that Meloni desperately wanted a photograph with him. La7 did not broadcast the original audio, instead airing only an Italian-dubbed version.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani came to Meloni’s defense following Trump’s remarks. Writing on X, Tajani described the US President’s words as serious and insulting, stating that the comments hurt not only Meloni but all of Italy. In protest, Tajani canceled a planned visit to the United States scheduled for next week.
The diplomatic spat represents a significant setback in relations between Washington and Rome at a time when Western unity is being tested on multiple fronts. Italy has been among the more conservative voices within the European Union and a key partner for the United States on migration and security issues.
With information from Nius
