ROME — Italy’s government on Friday issued a strong rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump after he claimed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, escalating a diplomatic dispute that prompted the cancellation of a senior Italian official’s planned visit to the United States.
The controversy triggered immediate political fallout in Rome, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani calling off a scheduled trip to the U.S. this weekend. The visit was expected to include participation in an Italy–U.S. business forum in Miami and meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to U.S. State Department announcements. Tajani described Trump’s remarks as “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and Italy.
Meloni also forcefully rejected Trump’s statements, posting a video message in which she called the claims “completely fabricated” and expressed astonishment that a U.S. president would make such assertions about an ally. “Italy and I do not beg,” she said.
Trump made the comments in an interview broadcast Friday on the French television network La7, where discussion initially focused on Ukraine before shifting to the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. According to La7’s reporting, Trump alleged that Meloni had “begged” him for a photo opportunity and said he was not obligated to agree but did so out of sympathy. The broadcaster has published a dubbed version of the exchange online.
Responding in her video statement, Meloni said she was compelled to respond immediately, calling Trump’s remarks “completely fabricated” and expressing disbelief at the characterization. She also criticized what she described as repeated instances of similar rhetoric, referencing earlier comments by Trump regarding her positions on foreign policy.
By Friday afternoon, the dispute had broadened into a wider political response in Italy, with officials across the government and opposition expressing support for Meloni. President Sergio Mattarella also reportedly reached out, underscoring the institutional concern over the diplomatic strain.
Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said that criticism of Meloni amounted to an attack on Italy as a whole, while Justice Minister Carlo Nordio referenced the historical U.S.–Italy alliance, pointing to American sacrifices during World War II in emphasizing the strain on bilateral ties. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also defended Meloni, saying he could not imagine her asking for a photo “even under threat,” while warning that public disputes of this nature could harm the broader alliance.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Meloni’s remarks.
Meloni had initially sought to position herself as a key intermediary between Washington and the European Union upon the start of Trump’s second term, highlighting strong U.S.–Italy relations and becoming the only EU head of government to attend Trump’s inauguration. However, tensions have grown in recent months over diverging positions on the war in Ukraine, U.S. policy in the Middle East, and trade tariffs.
Despite early alignment on issues such as migration and conservative policy priorities, differences have become more visible, particularly over continued Western support for Ukraine following Russia’s 2022 invasion and U.S. military actions in the Middle East, which Meloni has criticized.
The latest dispute marks a notable downturn in a relationship that both leaders previously described in favorable terms following meetings at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence prior to his return to office. While Trump has previously praised Meloni, calling her a close ally, Friday’s exchange has exposed growing friction between Washington and Rome at a sensitive moment for transatlantic relations.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
