Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stared into her phone camera and delivered a message that stunned viewers: “Neither I nor Italy ever beg.” She was responding to Donald Trump, who had told an Italian TV channel that she had “begged” him for a photograph at the G7 summit in France. The incident marked a dramatic public breakdown in a relationship that once seemed close.
At the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, in June 2026, Trump and Meloni were seen deep in conversation on a small sofa. The encounter appeared friendly. But hours later, Trump gave a brief phone interview to Italy’s La7 channel in which he claimed: “She begged me to take a photo with her; I felt sorry for her.” He added that she was “probably happy I spoke to her” and that he “didn’t have to talk to her.” Meloni called the account “completely made up” in a video posted to Instagram, saying she was “frankly stunned” and that it was “regrettable” Trump did not show the same determination toward enemies of the West as he did toward allies. Her foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, called the remarks “serious and offensive” and cancelled a scheduled trip to the United States on 21–22 June.
“Explains the diplomatic row between Italy's Meloni and Trump over a photo claim at the G7 summit.”
This public rift did not come out of nowhere. Meloni was elected in 2022 and was the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025. She was seen by EU colleagues as a potential bridge-builder. But tensions grew after Trump launched a war with Iran, which Meloni opposed. In April 2026, Trump gave an interview to Italian daily Corriere della Sera in which he said of Meloni, “I thought she had courage, but I was wrong.” The relationship worsened when Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy.” Meloni called those remarks unacceptable. By the time of the G7, the two leaders had already clashed, though Meloni tried to downplay it, telling reporters the relationship was “unchanged.”
For UK readers, this row matters because it exposes the fragility of ties between the US and a major EU partner. Britain often finds itself navigating between Washington and Brussels, and a rupture like this can shift diplomatic dynamics. Italy’s foreign minister cancelling a US visit signals real damage, and the war with Iran—which Trump pursued despite European opposition—is a direct concern for the UK’s own foreign policy. If the US president is willing to alienate a key ally like Italy, it raises questions about how he might treat the UK in future negotiations.
Q: What exactly did Donald Trump say about Giorgia Meloni? In a phone interview with Italy’s La7 TV after the G7, Trump claimed Meloni “begged” him for a photograph and that he agreed because he “felt sorry for her.” He also said she was “probably happy I spoke to her” and that he “didn’t have to talk to her.”
Q: How did Giorgia Meloni respond? Meloni posted a video on Instagram saying she was “frankly stunned” and that Trump’s statements were “completely made up.” She declared, “Neither I nor Italy ever beg,” and accused Trump of being more accommodating to enemies of the West than to allies. Her foreign minister cancelled a planned trip to the US in protest.
Q: Why did this happen now? The row is the latest in a series of disagreements. Meloni opposed Trump’s war with Iran, and Trump had previously criticised her over that issue and over her defence of Pope Leo XIV. The photo claim appears to be Trump’s way of retaliating for what he sees as disloyalty from a once-close ally.
What happens next is uncertain. Italy’s foreign minister has cancelled his US visit, and the peace talks between the US and Iran have stalled after Iranian officials failed to travel to Switzerland. Trump has lashed out on social media, saying Iran is “FINISHED.” The G7 summit may have provided a photo opportunity, but the picture of transatlantic unity is now clearly cracked.