Meloni Accuses Trump of Fabricating Photo Story at G7 Summit
4 verified3 unconfirmed
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly accused President Donald Trump of fabricating a story that she “begged” him for a photograph during the recent G7 summit in France. Meloni stated she was “stunned” and “astonished” by the claim, which she said Trump made in an interview with an Italian journalist and later repeated on social media. In response, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the United States, calling the alleged comments offensive. The dispute marks a significant break between Meloni and Trump, who had previously been close allies, with Meloni being the only European Union leader invited to Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. The relationship had already frayed in April when Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV over foreign policy and Meloni called the remarks “unacceptable.” Trump, in turn, criticized Meloni for not providing military support to the U.S. during the war in Iran, a claim she has denied.
What’s verified
Meloni accused Trump of fabricating the claim that she begged for a photograph at the G7 summit.
Meloni said she was “stunned” and “astonished” by Trump’s statements.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the U.S. following the dispute.
The relationship between Meloni and Trump had previously fractured when Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV and Meloni called the attacks “unacceptable.”
Not yet confirmed
The exact words Trump used in the original interview have not been independently verified, as only a dubbed Italian translation has been released.
Trump stated on Truth Social that Italy denied the U.S. use of an air base in Sicily during the Iran war, a claim not corroborated by other sources.
Trump also posted that Meloni now “wants to be friends again” after the U.S. defeated Iran militarily, a claim not mentioned elsewhere.
Key figures
Giorgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister
Donald Trump, President of the United States
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister
Pope Leo XIV
Sources: NPR, foxnews.com, NBC News
