Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has denied U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that she ‘begged’ for a photo with him during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, calling the remarks ‘made-up’ and expressing astonishment at Trump’s behavior, according to BBC.

Trump’s Allegation Sparks Tension

Trump made the comments during a phone interview with Italy’s La7 TV channel, stating that Meloni ‘begged’ for a photo and that he ‘felt sorry for her.’ The remarks have sparked an open row between the two leaders, with Meloni reacting in ‘total disbelief’ in a brief address to her seven million Instagram followers.

Meloni said she was ‘frankly stunned’ by Trump’s actions and questioned why the U.S. president behaves in such a manner toward allies. ‘I don’t know why the US president behaves this way towards allies,’ she said, adding that it was not the first time it had happened.

Italian Government Response

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has canceled a planned trip to the U.S. early next week, a move seen as a response to Trump’s remarks; Meloni emphasized that ‘neither I nor Italy ever beg,’ indicating the depth of her offense at Trump’s characterization.

Meloni’s evident shock at Trump’s outburst comes after a series of incidents that have weakened what had begun as a close political relationship. Elected in 2022. Meloni was the sole European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 and was widely seen by her EU colleagues as a potential bridge-builder with the U.S. president.

However, Meloni has been outspoken in her opposition to the U.S. war with Iran, and in April Trump hit back with a phone interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera in which he said, ‘I thought she had courage, but I was wrong.’

Broader Political Reactions

Responding to Trump’s latest interview, Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella immediately phoned Meloni to offer his support, and figures from across the political spectrum in Italy sprang to her defense.

No-one had the right to speak to an Italian prime minister in such an arrogant tone, said Filippo Sensi, a senator on the left from the opposition Democratic Party. Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte added that Italy did not deserve such humiliation and that chasing favours with Washington should never come at the expense of national dignity and interest.

From Meloni’s own Brothers of Italy party, Senate group leader Lucio Malan noted that Trump’s words were part of a broader pattern of offensive remarks he had directed at various European leaders, and they were damaging above all to Trump’s own image and authority.

Malan suggested that the video from the G7 in reality showed a very different dynamic to what Trump had described, and he suggested that what truly irritated the U.S. president may have been Meloni’s record of saying no to Washington when it became necessary.

Government ally Matteo Salvini from the League said simply: ‘Whoever attacks Giorgia, attacks all of us.’