This year’s G7 summit became the starting point of a feud that has now captured the world’s attention – the war of words between Donald Trump versus Giorgia Meloni. A comment at a photo op has now turned into a public spat between two powerful world leaders.
Tensions between the United States and Italy escalated to such an extent that Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reportedly canceled his visit to the US scheduled for June 21 and 22. He said Trump’s comments had angered “all of Italy”.
Let’s break down the entire row and take a look at the fights:
Where did the fight start?
US President Donald Trump, once a close aide of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, told an Italian channel that she “begged” him to take a photo with her at the G7 summit in France last week.
“She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted took such a bad picture of me. I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for him,” Trump reportedly told La 7 channel in a brief interview.
The channel did not release the original audio; Reuters reported that it released only a dubbed version.
When the channel’s journalist asked Trump about Meloni, he further said, “She is probably happy that I talked to her. I didn’t need to talk to her.”
Referring to several videos being circulated of Trump and Maloney from the G7 summit, in which the two are seen having a serious conversation, the US President reportedly suggested that he was just chatting with her.
Later, on a phone call with America’s NBC News, Trump was asked about his “begging” claim, and he said, “It’s true.”
He condemned Italy’s lack of support towards the US in the Iran war and issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said, “She wasn’t there for us. She was a big fan but I don’t want her as a fan because she wasn’t there because of her belonging to the NATO group as well as the strait.”
The US President has repeatedly taken a dig at NATO allies for not supporting US forces once the war begins on February 28, 2026.
Trump has also threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy, saying Rome “has done us no favors” in the Iran war.
Meloni’s sharp reaction
Georgia Meloni did not let Trump do this So easily off the hook. He responded fiercely to her claims and said that her statements about the photo session were “complete fabrications”.
In a video message on Twitter, the Italian PM said she was “frankly surprised” by Trump’s behaviour.
He said, “I’m frankly surprised. I don’t know why the President of the United States behaves like this toward his colleagues: it’s not the first time.”
Meloni further said that he is disappointed that Trump does not show the same determination when it comes to the West and America’s enemies. He said the US President treats him “much too leniently”.
Meloni commented, “There’s one thing they should remember: neither I nor Chris ever beg.”
Roe cancels Italian Foreign Minister’s US visit, Italy angry
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was forced to cancel his trip to the US. “President Trump’s serious and offensive words… hurt all of Italy,” Tajani said in a post.
The Foreign Minister was scheduled to visit America on June 21 and 22.
Italy’s Justice Minister Carlo Nordio also criticized Trump’s comments, calling them a “painful blow” to Italy–US relations. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said that “Nobody benefits from these jokes.”
Trump doubled down on his claims
On Saturday, Donald Trump again put forward his claims. In a post on Truth Social, she initially said, “Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked repeatedly for a photo with me during the G-7 meeting in France.” He wrote the first name of the Italian PM wrongly, but later corrected the mistake.
Trump had also made this claim in that post Meloni is not doing well (politically) in ItalyHe cited his falling popularity as the reason for his decline because he rejected America, a country “that really loves and protects Italy”.
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked repeatedly for a photo with me during the G-7 meeting in France. She is doing poorly in Italy with her popularity levels, possibly because when it came to denying Iran from acquiring or developing nuclear weapons (but in this case so did NATO!), she rejected the United States, a country that actually loves and protects Italy.”
Trump said that at first he did not help America in the war in the Middle East and now that the US military has “defeated” Iran’s military, Meloni wants to become America’s friend again.
“She won’t even let us use Italy’s landing strips or runways, which is a huge logistical inconvenience, and this is despite the fact that the US contributes hundreds of billions of dollars per year to the defense of Italy and other “so-called” NATO allies. Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again to increase her “numbers”. No, thanks!!!” He added.
Meloni criticizes Trump’s ‘senseless attacks’
Shortly after Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni responded on Instagram. He shared a screenshot of the US President’s post and said, “President Trump, these sustained, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”
Meloni responded sharply and clearly, saying that her popularity had nothing to do with her relationship with him. He said it entirely depends on their ability to defend Italy and its national interests.
In reference to US military bases in Italy, the PM said the use of the facilities is governed by long-standing agreements, which he said cannot be violated as long as he is in office.
“As far as my popularity goes, being your friend certainly doesn’t help, nor does it depend on my relationship with you. My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interests and that’s what I’ve always done,” Meloni wrote in his post.
He said, “I did the same with regard to American military bases in Italy. Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and which cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister. Italy remains a sovereign nation.”
Italy, a major logistics hub for the US, had refused to allow US bombers heading towards the Middle East to use a base in Sicily without parliamentary approval.
This decision was based on constitutional constraints and strong domestic opposition to the war in Iran.
Meloni ended his post with a sharp “suggestion” to Trump: “In any case, my popularity is not your concern. I suggest you focus on your popularity.”
Discoloration of US-Italy relations
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was once an open supporter of Donald Trump, and was the only European leader to attend his presidential inauguration in Washington in January 2025.
Although Meloni presented herself as a balancing force between Europe and the Trump administration, things began to sour following the Middle East conflict.
In April, the Italian PM criticized Trump for attacking Pope Leo, who had condemned the US-Iran war. He said the US President’s comments were “unacceptable”.
Meloni’s remarks drew a sharp rebuttal from the Republican leader, who said in an interview with an Italian daily at the time, “I’m surprised at that. I thought he had courage, but I was wrong.”
The latest outcome comes against the backdrop of long-running sour US-Europe relations, soured largely by the Trump administration’s trade policy towards the continent. The US President has also expressed displeasure to European leaders over his repeated threats to annex Denmark’s self-governing territory of Greenland and his decision to jointly attack Iran with Israel.
At the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Trump appeared to be warming to European leaders, a shift evident after his agreement on an interim peace deal with Iran. However, tensions could rise again as Trump is expected to travel to Türkiye for the annual NATO summit next month.
Even Giorgia Meloni at the end of the G7 summit reportedly spoke of there being a “very positive atmosphere” and “no friction” between Trump and other world leaders.
But he has consistently issued sharp denials of Trump’s claims of “begging” the Italian leader.
