Trump–Meloni row: US–Italy relations strain after G7 ‘begged for photo’ remarks

A Trump–Meloni row has escalated into a full-scale diplomatic dispute after US President Donald Trump claimed Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph at the G7 summit, prompting a sharp public rebuttal from Rome and the cancellation of a planned diplomatic visit.

The controversy began after Donald Trump told an Italian television channel that Giorgia Meloni had insisted on taking a photograph with him during the summit in France, suggesting he had reluctantly agreed to the request.

Video footage from the G7 summit showed the two leaders seated together in extended discussion, but Trump’s comments triggered immediate backlash in Italy.

Meloni responded with an unusually forceful public statement, calling the remarks “completely made up” and expressing astonishment at the US president’s description of their interaction. She insisted that neither she nor Italy “ever beg.”

The Italian prime minister further criticised Trump for what she described as a pattern of dismissive behaviour toward allies, saying it was disappointing that he showed greater leniency toward adversaries of Western nations.

The dispute quickly spilled into diplomatic channels, with Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelling a planned visit to the United States. A US–Italy business forum scheduled to take place in Miami was also called off following the escalation.

Trump doubled down on his remarks in a later interview, reiterating that Meloni had been enthusiastic in her engagement and suggesting disagreements within NATO and broader Western policy discussions had contributed to friction between the two leaders.

The row comes against a backdrop of already strained relations over the US approach to the Iran conflict and wider Middle East security issues, including disagreements over NATO coordination and strategic policy in the Strait of Hormuz.

United States and Italy had previously maintained close political alignment, with Meloni regarded as one of Trump’s strongest European allies and the only EU leader invited to his 2025 inauguration.

However, analysts say the relationship has deteriorated in recent months, particularly following disagreements over military coordination in the Iran conflict and Italy’s refusal to allow the use of a Sicilian airbase for US-linked operations.

Italian officials and political allies have since criticised Trump’s comments as damaging to longstanding transatlantic relations, while opposition figures in Rome accused Meloni’s government of overestimating its personal ties with Washington.

The dispute is now seen as a significant test for Italy’s foreign policy strategy, which had focused on maintaining close personal relations with the Trump administration while balancing European commitments.

With diplomatic visits cancelled and rhetoric escalating, the fallout highlights growing uncertainty within one of the United States’ key European alliances.