A fresh spat has erupted between Washington and Rome, with a G7 summit photo-op turning into an unlikely diplomatic row between US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
‘She Begged Me For Photo’: Trump
The latest flare-up began when Trump, speaking to Italian broadcaster La7, claimed that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph during the recent G7 summit in France.
“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 was quoted as saying.
The remarks landed like a political grenade in Italy.
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‘Neither I Nor Italy Ever Beg’: Maoni Hits Back
Within hours, Meloni hit back on social media, dismissing Trump’s account as “completely made up” and delivering one of her sharpest public rebukes yet of a leader once considered a close political ally.
“Neither I nor Italy ever beg,” Meloni said in a video statement, adding that she was “astonished” by Trump’s comments.
The Italian leader went further, questioning why Trump appeared tougher on allies than on adversaries.
Io e l’Italia non imploriamo mai. pic.twitter.com/sTpKlqWB67
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 19, 2026
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies. 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.
The unusually blunt exchange marks a dramatic downturn in relations between two leaders who have often been portrayed as ideological allies on the global right.
Just days earlier, the pair appeared to have steadied ties at the G7 summit after months of tensions linked to the Iran conflict. Images from the gathering showed Trump and Meloni engaged in an extended conversation while seated together, projecting an image of renewed warmth.
Trump, however, suggested the interaction had been little more than a favour.
“She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her,” he reportedly told the broadcaster.
The fallout quickly spread beyond the two leaders.
Italy Leaders Slam Trump
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned visit to the United States, saying Trump’s remarks had offended not just Meloni but the entire country.
“The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend the whole of Italy,” Tajani said, announcing that he would no longer travel to Washington next week.
Senior members of Meloni’s government also joined the criticism. Giovanbattista Fazzolari, one of the prime minister’s closest advisers, accused Trump of damaging decades-old transatlantic ties.
“It is unclear whether out of intent or ineptitude, Trump is wrecking the historic relations between the United States and Europe,” Fazzolari said, arguing that the U.S. president’s repeated outbursts were making America increasingly unpopular across Europe.
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The dispute is particularly striking given Meloni’s previous support for Trump. She was the only European leader to attend his 2025 inauguration and had often been viewed as one of his closest partners on the continent.
But relations have cooled in recent months. Meloni publicly criticised Trump over his attacks on Pope Leo’s stance on the Iran war, prompting Trump to accuse her of lacking courage.
Now, a disagreement over a G7 photograph has escalated into a full-blown diplomatic quarrel, exposing the widening cracks in what was once seen as one of the strongest political relationships between Washington and Europe.
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