President Trump claimed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "begged" him for a photograph at the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France, saying "She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her." He made the remarks during a phone interview with Italy's La7 TV channel. The two leaders had just completed the three-day political summit where they held multiple photo opportunities together, including one where they appeared engrossed in conversation on a small sofa.
Meloni flatly rejected the account. "Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned," she said in a video posted on X Friday. "I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this toward his own allies. After all, it is not the first time." She emphasized: "Italy and I do not beg."
The original English recording of Trump's interview has not been made public. La7 released only a dubbed Italian translation of the audio, making independent verification of Trump's exact words impossible. NPR requested the original recording from journalist Daniele Compatengelo, who conducted the interview, but he did not immediately respond.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the United States in response to Trump's remarks. Tajani called the alleged comments "grave and offensive words" that "offend the whole of Italy." The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the accuracy of Trump's quotes.
Politicians across Italy's political spectrum rallied behind Meloni. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini wrote on X: "Whoever attacks Giorgia Meloni attacks all of us." Even Meloni's political opponents defended her. Matteo Renzi, a center-left former prime minister, called Trump's statements "horrifying, as always" and urged Meloni to abandon her ties to Trump, writing that "the global right has failed."
Italy's President Sergio Mattarella immediately phoned Meloni to offer his support. Senator Filippo Sensi from the opposition Democratic Party said no one had the right to speak to an Italian prime minister in such an arrogant tone.
Meloni, who took office in 2022 as Italy's first female prime minister, was once considered one of Trump's strongest allies in Europe. Their relationship began deteriorating after Trump's military action in Iran, which Meloni opposed. The highly public exchange over the photo claim reflects how far their earlier close ties have frayed.
"Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," Trump posted on Truth Social. Meloni responded that his attacks were "unacceptable." Trump then told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "I thought she had courage, but I was wrong."
When asked about the dispute, Trump told NBC News's Gabe Gutierrez on Friday: "She was a big fan. But I don't want her as a fan." He reinforced his criticism of Meloni after the pair traded insults following their interaction at the summit.
President Trump claimed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "begged" him for a photograph at the Group of Seven summit in Evian, France this week, saying "She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her." He made the remarks during a phone interview with Italy's La7 TV channel. The two leaders had just completed the three-day political summit where they held multiple photo opportunities together, including one where they appeared engrossed in conversation on a small sofa.
Meloni flatly rejected the account. "Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned," she said in a video posted on X Friday. "I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this toward his own allies. After all, it is not the first time." She emphasized: "Italy and I do not beg."
The original English recording of Trump's interview has not been made public. La7 released only a dubbed Italian translation of the audio, making independent verification of Trump's exact words impossible. NPR requested the original recording from journalist Daniele Compatengelo, who conducted the interview, but he did not immediately respond.
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the United States scheduled for Sunday and Monday in response to Trump's remarks. Tajani called the alleged comments "grave and offensive words" that "offend the whole of Italy." The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the accuracy of Trump's quotes.
Politicians across Italy's political spectrum rallied behind Meloni. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini wrote on X: "Whoever attacks Giorgia Meloni attacks all of us." Even Meloni's political opponents defended her. Matteo Renzi, a center-left former prime minister, called Trump's statements "horrifying, as always" and urged Meloni to abandon her ties to Trump, writing that "the global right has failed."
Italy's President Sergio Mattarella immediately phoned Meloni to offer his support. Senator Filippo Sensi from the opposition Democratic Party said no one had the right to speak to an Italian prime minister in such an arrogant tone.
Meloni, who took office in 2022 as Italy's first female prime minister, was once considered Trump's strongest ally in Europe. She was the only European Union leader invited to Trump's second inauguration in January 2025. Their relationship began deteriorating in April when Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media after the pontiff condemned U.S. military action in Iran.
"Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," Trump posted on Truth Social. Meloni responded that his attacks were "unacceptable." Trump then told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: "I thought she had courage, but I was wrong." The BBC noted that the highly public exchange over the photo claim reflects how far their earlier close ties have frayed since Trump's decision to go to war with Iran.
When asked about the dispute, Trump told NBC News's Gabe Gutierrez on Friday: "She was a big fan. But I don't want her as a fan." He reinforced his criticism of Meloni after the pair traded insults following their interaction at the summit.
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