Meloni Calls Trump’s G7 Photo Claim Fabricated, June 20

President Donald Trump claimed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “begged” him for a photo at the G7 summit in Evian, France this week. Meloni fired back on Friday, calling the claim “totally fabricated” and expressing shock that Trump would invent such a story about an ally. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned trip to the United States in protest.

What Trump Said and How Meloni Responded

Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 that Meloni had pleaded with him for a photo at the G7 meeting. He said: “She begged me to take a photo with her. She wanted a photo with me so badly. I could have skipped it, but I felt sorry for her.” La7 released only a dubbed Italian version of the interview, not the original English audio.

Meloni posted a video on Friday calling Trump’s statements “completely fabricated.” She said: “I am frankly stunned. I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies. Italy and I never beg.” Video footage from the G7 showed the two leaders in extended conversation seated together on a small sofa.

Italy’s Government Pushes Back

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Trump’s comments as “serious and offensive” to all of Italy. He announced he was canceling a planned trip to the United States scheduled for the following week, where he was set to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and attend a business forum in Miami.

Meloni’s strong response suggested she had reached a breaking point with Trump. She noted this was not the first time he had made disparaging remarks about her, referring to an April interview in which Trump criticized her refusal to support the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

A Relationship in Freefall

Trump and Meloni were once considered close allies. Meloni was the only European leader invited to Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president. However, their relationship deteriorated sharply in April over Italy’s refusal to back the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and Trump’s subsequent attacks on Pope Leo XIV.

The G7 summit appeared to offer signs of repair. The two leaders had several one-on-one meetings and photo opportunities together. But Trump’s comments to La7, which portrayed the interaction as something he granted rather than sought, reignited tensions and revealed how far their alliance had fractured.

Final Thoughts

Meloni’s defiant response signals Italy no longer fears Trump’s verbal attacks. The cancellation of high-level diplomatic meetings marks a significant rupture between the U.S. and a longtime European ally.

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