Meloni hits back after Trump claims she 'begged' for G7 photo

A war of words has erupted between Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump after the U.S. President told Italian media that Meloni “begged” to take a photograph with him at the G7 summit earlier this week.

Meloni, once a close ally of Trump, issued a strongly worded rebuke, saying she was “astonished” by the President's comments, which she described as entirely fabricated.

"Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don't know why the President of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover."

Meloni went on to criticise Trump for what she suggested was a softer approach towards the West’s adversaries.

"I can only say 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.

“There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."

Italy responds

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced he was cancelling a planned visit to the U.S. next week in response to Trump's remarks.

"The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend the whole of Italy,” Tajani wrote on X.

Video footage from the G7 summit in France showed Meloni and Trump deep in conversation, sitting side by side on a small sofa.

However, in an interview with La7 television, the U.S. President suggested he had only appeared alongside Meloni out of pity.

"She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her," Trump was quoted as saying.

"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 said, according to La7's translation.

From allies to adversaries

Meloni was once a vocal supporter of Trump and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025.

Trump initially showered her with praise, calling her at various times in 2024 and 2025 "a fantastic leader and person", "a beautiful young woman", "a very successful politician" and "an inspiration to all".

When Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on the European Union, Meloni distinguished herself by maintaining a conciliatory tone towards the President, arguing that it was more important to keep the Western alliance united against common adversaries.

She also avoided publicly criticising him over his administration’s cuts to military aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia and over his reluctance to put pressure on Israel to end the conflict in Gaza.

However, relations between the two leaders have deteriorated sharply since the U.S. began its war with Iran at the end of February.

Meloni came to the defence of Pope Leo after Trump lashed out at him over his criticism of the conflict, prompting Trump to accuse her of lacking courage.

Meloni also denied U.S. military aircraft carrying weapons for the Iran war access to an airbase in Sicily, saying American authorities had not followed the necessary procedures.

• Italy to reopen embassy in Tehran
• Italy and Poland criticise exclusion from Ukraine peace talks
• Italy's Meloni urges NATO rethink on defence spending as Rome lifts outlays

Political risks

"This was the original sin, in Trump's eyes," said Francesco Galietti of political risk consultancy Policy Sonar.

“In the short term, Galietti said Meloni might benefit domestically from standing up to Trump, who is highly unpopular in Italian opinion polls. But she risks losing a plank of her political narrative ahead of elections due next year,” he said.

"This is like a horrible slap in the face," he said. "It completely jeopardises her strategy that when we hold elections, the Italians will eventually choose her because she is the safest pair of hands."

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News Giorgia Meloni Donald Trump U.S. Italy