Italy’s Meloni Rejects Trump Claim She Begged for G7 Photo
6 verified4 unconfirmed
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly accused U.S. President Donald Trump of fabricating a story that she “begged” for a photo at the recent G7 summit in France. Meloni released a video on social media Friday stating she was “frankly stunned” and that Trump’s statements were “completely fabricated.” The comments came after Trump allegedly made the claim during a telephone interview with Italian broadcaster La7, which aired only a dubbed version of the audio. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani responded by canceling a planned visit to the United States, calling the reported remarks “serious and offensive” to all of Italy. Meloni also said, “Italy and I do not beg,” and questioned why Trump would behave that way toward allies. The dispute marks a deepening rift between two leaders who were once considered close allies, with tensions already elevated over Trump’s earlier attacks on Pope Leo XIV.
What’s verified
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni accused U.S. President Donald Trump of fabricating a story that she “begged” for a photo at the G7 summit.
Meloni released a video statement on X saying she was “stunned” and that Trump’s statements were “completely fabricated.”
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a trip to the United States scheduled for June 21-22, calling the alleged comments “serious and offensive.”
The alleged Trump comments were made during a phone interview with Italian broadcaster La7, which aired only a dubbed Italian translation, not the original audio.
Meloni stated, “Italy and I do not beg.”
The relationship between Meloni and Trump has been fraying, including over Trump’s social media attacks on Pope Leo XIV.
Not yet confirmed
The exact English words Trump used have not been independently verified; only a dubbed Italian translation has been released.
The White House has not commented on the accuracy of the alleged quotes.
Whether Meloni was the only European Union leader invited to Trump’s second inauguration is mentioned in a single report.
Whether a business conference in Miami was canceled by the U.S. State Department is mentioned in a single report.
Key figures
Giorgia Meloni – Italian Prime Minister
Donald Trump – President of the United States
Antonio Tajani – Italian Foreign Minister
