'Shame': Meloni rebukes Trump after his 'begged for a photo' remark, questions treatment of allies
Trump's remarks sparked a political backlash in Italy, prompting Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a planned US visit and condemn the comments as offensive to the country
Hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Giorgia Meloni "begged" him to take a photo with her at the recently concluded G7 summit, the Italian Prime Minister on Friday hit back sharply, calling his remarks "completely made up" and saying she was "frankly appalled" by the comments.
In a video message posted on X and captioned "Neither I nor Italy ever beg", Meloni rejected Trump's claim, saying, "Donald Trump's statements are completely made up, I'm frankly appalled."
Meloni said she was "stunned" by Trump's remarks to Italian broadcaster La7, in which, according to a transcript provided by the network, Trump said Meloni "wanted a picture with me so badly" at the G7 summit and that he agreed only because he "felt sorry for her".
Meloni questioned Trump's approach towards Washington's allies, saying she did not understand "why the President of the United States behaves this way with his own allies".
More from WorldMeloni also suggested that Trump showed greater leniency towards adversaries of the West than towards allied nations.
"I don't know why the President of the United States behaves this way with his own allies; after all, it's not the first time it's happened. I can only say it's a shame that he doesn't show the same determination with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States, with leaderships toward which he instead proves much more accommodating; however, one thing he must remember: I and Italy never be," Meloni said.
Trump remarks spark outrage
Meanwhile, Trump's remarks appeared to trigger a political backlash in Italy, drawing criticism from across the country's political spectrum and prompting a diplomatic response from Rome.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday announced he was cancelling a planned visit to the US, condemning Trump's comments about Meloni.
"The grave and offensive words of President Trump... offend the whole of Italy," Tajani wrote on X.
He had been scheduled to travel to the US on June 21 and 22.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto also came to Meloni's defence, dismissing Trump's account of the G7 encounter and warning that such remarks risked damaging ties between allies.
"I can't imagine @GiorgiaMeloni asking anyone for a photo, not even under threat," Crosetto wrote on X.
"I can, however, imagine how much it cost her to set aside what Trump had said weeks ago, to serve the interests of Italy, of Europe, and of the West."
He added that he could imagine "how much it will cost her not to comment as it deserves on this latest lapse in style by the US President."
Crosetto further said: "For all that 'lapse in style' is an implicit and undeserved acknowledgment, in this case, what hurts is that jokes of this kind do no good to anyone: neither to the USA, nor to Italy, nor to the alliance."
The controversy also drew a sharp reaction from former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, a longtime critic of Meloni, who used the episode to attack both Trump and the Italian leader.
"Trump's statements are horrifying, as always. Finally, President Meloni has noticed too: good morning Giorgia, nice of you to wake up," Renzi wrote on X.
"Dear President, have you finally realized that allying with those people means being against Italy? Enough with the MAGA hats and enough bridges to Trump: Italy deserves a leadership class that commands respect in the world. A leadership class that never begs."
Renzi further added: "And the United States deserves a tenant in the White House who knows what courage is, what respect is. The global right has failed: today Meloni has realized it too."
What Trump said about Meloni
The dispute erupted after Trump, in an interview with La7 television's L'Aria che Tira programme on Friday, claimed that Meloni had sought his attention and requested a photograph with him during this week's G7 summit.
At the beginning of the interview, Trump turned the discussion to the Italian prime minister, asking: "How is your prime minister?"
"What did she say when she met me? She's probably happy I talked to her," he added, before saying: "I didn't have to talk to her."
Trump then escalated his criticism, stating: "I don't know what to say."
"She begged me to take a picture with her."
"She wanted a picture with me so badly."
"I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her."
The remarks marked a sharp deterioration in relations between the two leaders, who had previously enjoyed a close political rapport.
Meloni was the only European leader invited to Trump's inauguration last year, but ties reportedly became strained during the Iran war.
According to Italian media reports, Rome refused to allow the United States to use an air base in Sicily for military operations during the conflict. Trump subsequently accused Italy of being unhelpful and suggested that Meloni had changed her position.
The Italian Prime Minister also drew Trump's criticism after she defended Pope Leo XIV when the US president described the pontiff as "weak on crime" and "terrible for foreign policy" following his criticism of the war.
Despite the tensions, Meloni said after the G7 summit that her relationship with Trump remained unchanged, insisting there were no "recriminations" between them and that both leaders understood each other's points of view.
With inputs from agencies
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