Italy's Meloni denies Trump claim she begged for photo, cancels US visit
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejected President Trump's alleged remark that she begged for a joint photo, and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned trip to Washington in protest.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said President Donald Trump fabricated comments that she "begged" him for a photo at the recent G7 summit. In a video posted on X, Meloni asserted that the remarks were false and criticized the president's treatment of allies.
"Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned," Meloni said.
The allegation stems from a phone interview with an Italian journalist that was broadcast in a dubbed Italian version by broadcaster La7. The translation suggested Trump claimed Meloni was happy to talk to him and had "begged" to take a picture together, but the original English recording has not been released for verification.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment, and NPR could not independently confirm the president's exact words.
Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, announced the cancellation of a scheduled visit to the United States, describing the alleged comments as "serious and offensive" to the nation.
"I am cancelling my trip to the U.S. this weekend because the remarks are serious and offensive to all of Italy," Tajani said.
Other Italian officials expressed support for Meloni. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini posted on X that any attack on Meloni was an attack on all Italians, while former prime minister Matteo Renzi called the alleged statements "horrifying" and urged Meloni to distance herself from Trump.
"Whoever attacks Giorgia Meloni attacks all of us," Salvini wrote.
"The global right has failed; Meloni should abandon her ties to Trump," Renzi wrote.
Meloni, who became Italy's first female prime minister in 2022, had previously been regarded as a close ally of Trump, attending his second inauguration in 2025. Their relationship has soured since April after Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV, prompting Meloni to label the attacks "unacceptable" and leading to a sharp exchange between the leaders.
The dispute highlights growing tensions between the United States and Italy over diplomatic decorum and media reporting.