Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pushed back against President Donald Trump's claim that she had "begged" him for a photograph at the Group of Seven summit in France, calling the account "totally fabricated" and saying neither she nor Italy "beg." The exchange marked another public dispute between the two leaders, whose relationship has deteriorated amid disagreements over the Iran war and other foreign policy issues.
Trump made the remarks during an interview with Italian broadcaster La7 following the G7 gathering in Evian-les-Bains. He said Meloni "begged" him for a picture and claimed he agreed because he "felt sorry for her." In comments reported by NBC News, Meloni said she was "stunned" by the remarks and questioned why the U.S. president repeatedly treated allies in such a manner.
"I and Italy never beg," Meloni said, adding that Trump's description of events was "totally fabricated," according to NBC News.
The Italian leader also appeared to criticize Trump's broader approach to alliances, saying she did not understand why he behaved that way toward countries aligned with the United States. She noted that it was not the first time tensions had surfaced between them.
The disagreement quickly prompted a response from Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who described Trump's comments as "serious" and "offensive" to Italy, according to Reuters. Tajani also announced that he was canceling a planned trip to the United States. Reuters reported that Giovanbattista Fazzolari, a senior official in Meloni's office, accused Trump of damaging historic ties between Europe and the United States.
Video footage from the summit showed Trump and Meloni seated together in conversation during the three-day gathering in the French resort town. Trump later described the interaction as something he had granted rather than initiated. Only a dubbed version of the La7 interview was made public, and the broadcaster did not release the original English-language audio, Reuters reported.
The latest spat came just days after the G7 summit focused heavily on the aftermath of the U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending months of conflict, as well as the war in Ukraine. Reuters reported that discussions in Evian-les-Bains centered on Iran, Ukraine and broader economic issues facing the group of major industrialized nations.
Relations between Trump and Meloni had already become strained earlier this year. In April, Trump criticized Meloni after she declined to support the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran and defended Pope Leo XIV following the pontiff's calls for peace. Euronews reported that Trump accused the Italian leader of lacking courage over her position on the conflict, prompting criticism across Italy.
Meloni also publicly rebuked Trump after he attacked Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff's condemnation of the war. She described the president's remarks about the pope as "unacceptable.''
The recent deterioration stands in sharp contrast to the close ties the two leaders once enjoyed. Meloni attended Trump's inauguration in January 2025 and was the only European leader present. During a meeting at Mar-a-Lago in early 2025, Trump described her as a "fantastic woman" who was "taking Europe by storm."
Just two days before the latest controversy erupted, the pair appeared to strike a friendlier tone at the G7 summit. Euronews, citing remarks overheard by European Council President António Costa, reported that the two leaders joked about having reconciled after previous disagreements.
