Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni strongly reacted to US President Donald Trump's claim that she 'begged' for a photo with him at the G7 summit in France. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Trump told the story in an interview with Italian TV channel La7. The US leader jokingly explained why he eventually agreed to the photo with Meloni. 'I could have not done it, but I felt sorry for her,' he said.
The Italian premier said she was 'shocked' by such remarks from an ally. 'Some things require an immediate reaction. Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am shocked, I don't know why the US president behaves this way towards his allies. This is not the first time; I can only say it is regrettable that he does not show the same determination in fighting the enemies of the West... Neither I nor Italy ever beg for anything,' she said in a video message on social media X.
Amid the scandal, Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani announced the cancellation of his visit to the US. 'The serious and offensive statements by President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are an insult to all of Italy. In this regard, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States, scheduled for June 21 and 22,' he wrote on X.
According to The Associated Press, Meloni has long been considered one of Trump's closest allies in Europe and tried to act as a mediator between the often conflicting interests of the US and the EU. At the start of Trump's second presidential term in 2025, Meloni was the only European leader invited to his inauguration, seen as the beginning of a 'special phase' in Rome-Washington relations. In the following months, Trump repeatedly praised her, calling her his friend, as well as a 'fantastic' and 'incredible' woman.
However, a year and a half later, personal relations between the leaders have noticeably deteriorated. According to the publication, this happened after Trump changed his stance on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia. The day before, thousands of media outlets quoted Trump's speech at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. He told world leaders: 'I am the boss here.' The remark came amid discussions of key global crises and future decisions on Ukraine, Iran, and the global economy.