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Meloni rejects Trump's claim she 'begged' for photo with him as Italy's top diplomat cancels US trip
Public Lokpal
June 19, 2026
Meloni rejects Trump's claim she 'begged' for photo with him as Italy's top diplomat cancels US trip
ROME: The Italian government closed ranks on Friday to slam US President Donald Trump over his claim that Premier Giorgia Meloni had "begged" for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, a pushback that suggested the longtime US ally had had enough of Trump's boasting.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a planned trip to the United States this weekend, calling Trump's claims "serious and offensive" toward Meloni and all of Italy.
Meloni, for her part, posted a video calling Trump's claims "completely fabricated" and expressing astonishment that he would invent such things about an ally. She concluded: "Italy and I do not beg."
Trump had made the comments in an interview broadcast Friday morning on the La7 network. The La7 correspondent had asked Trump about Ukraine, but Trump raised Meloni and the conversation turned to their meeting during the just-concluded G7 meeting in Evian-les-Bains, France. Meloni and Trump were filmed speaking at several moments, including alone on a small sofa.
According to La7, Trump said Meloni had "begged" him for a photo-op. Trump said he wasn't obliged to do it but that he felt sorry for her and agreed, La7 said. The broadcaster has a dubbed version of the conversation online, not the original English audio.
The White House did not return an immediate request for comment on Meloni's remarks.
Meloni had initially sought to build on longstanding strong US-Italian ties when Trump began his second mandate, and had positioned herself as a "bridge" between Washington and the European Union. She was the lone EU head of state to attend his inauguration.
But relations have frayed over the US war in Iran, which Meloni has said was illegal, and Trump's position on Ukraine, which Italy strongly supports. Trump's tariffs and strong US support of Israel over its war in Gaza have been other points of contention.
Associated Press
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