Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has dismissed as 'completely fabricated' a claim by US President Donald Trump that she 'begged' him for a photograph during the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. The dispute has escalated into a diplomatic row, with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelling a planned visit to the United States in protest.
Tajani, who was scheduled to travel to Miami on June 21 and 22 for meetings with senior American officials, announced the cancellation on social media platform X. He described Trump's remarks as 'serious and offensive' and said they insulted not only Meloni but the entire Italian nation.
'The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June,' Tajani wrote.
The controversy began when Trump, in an interview with Italian broadcaster La7, reportedly claimed that Meloni had 'begged' him for a photo at the G7 summit and that he agreed only because he 'felt sorry for her'. Meloni reacted sharply, insisting that neither she nor Italy 'begs'.
In a video message, the Italian Prime Minister expressed astonishment at Trump's remarks and questioned why the US President treats allies in such a manner while showing greater accommodation towards adversaries of the West. She posted on X: 'Io e l’Italia non imploriamo mai' (Italy and I never beg).
The row marks a striking deterioration in relations between two leaders who were once regarded as close ideological allies. Meloni had positioned herself as a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration and was the only European leader to attend Trump's inauguration in January 2025. However, differences over Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, and Trump's criticism of Pope Leo XIV have increasingly strained ties between the two governments.
Support for Meloni poured in from across Italy's political spectrum. President Sergio Mattarella and several senior ministers publicly backed the Prime Minister, while Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he could never imagine Meloni pleading with anyone for a photograph.
The latest dispute comes just days after Meloni had described the atmosphere at the G7 summit as positive and denied any friction with Trump and other world leaders.
