Trump doubles down on Meloni feud, insists she asked for G7 photo

A public disagreement has intensified between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, stemming from Trump's assertion that Meloni repeatedly sought a photograph with him at a recent G7 summit in France. Trump initially claimed in an interview with an Italian broadcaster that Meloni "begged" him for a picture, which he only agreed to out of pity.

Meloni swiftly and emphatically denied these claims, labeling them "completely fabricated" and stating that neither she nor Italy would ever "beg". Despite her strong rebuttal, Trump subsequently doubled down on his remarks via social media, insisting Meloni had requested the photo "over and over".

The dispute escalated further as Trump connected Meloni's alleged photo requests to Italy's perceived insufficient support during the Iran war, also criticizing her domestic popularity. In response to Trump's comments, Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a scheduled visit to the United States, deeming the remarks "grave and offensive" to Italy as a whole.