Trump Insists Meloni Requested Photos; Diplomatic Rift Deepens

A diplomatic dispute between the United States and Italy has intensified after former President Donald Trump insisted that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeatedly requested to be photographed with him during the G7 summit. Meloni has labeled these claims as fabrications, further straining relations between the two allies.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Trump's remarks as "vile and insulting," subsequently announcing the cancellation of a planned visit to the U.S. scheduled for June 21-22. The tension stems from a G7 summit held in Evian-Les-Bains, France, from June 15 to 17, where Italian officials had previously suggested a thaw in relations following a side-line conversation.

In a conversation with Italy's La7 television, Trump claimed, "She begged me for a photo; she wanted it so badly. I wouldn't have agreed, but I felt sorry for her." In response, Prime Minister Meloni expressed her shock, characterizing the claims as "entirely fabricated" and stating that neither she nor Italy would beg for such gestures.

Trump later doubled down on Truth Social, alleging that Meloni made multiple requests during the summit and suggesting that her domestic political standing is suffering due to her stance toward the U.S. He further accused the Italian government of seeking to restore ties for political gain following disagreements over Iran policy. Trump concluded the statement by rejecting any immediate reconciliation.