Trump and Meloni clash over photo request and Iran policy
President Donald Trump said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeatedly asked him for a joint photo at the G7 summit and faulted Italy’s cooperation on Iran, AP News reported. Meloni responded that the allegation was false, calling it “totally fabricated,” as reported by BBC and NBC News. She also denied having begged for a picture, and the dispute led Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned visit to Washington, NPR noted. Trump further criticized Meloni’s popularity and reiterated his claim that she had sought the photo, BBC said. Meloni rebuked the president, accusing him of lying and of pandering to adversaries, and defended Italy’s use of U. S.
air bases, South China Morning Post reported. A political analyst described the clash as a strategic move to boost Meloni’s domestic standing ahead of the 2027 election, Fox News noted. The dispute culminated with Trump accusing Meloni of refusing to involve Italy in U. S. actions against Iran, The Daily Beast reported.
