During the G7 summit in Evian‑les‑Bains, former U.S. President Donald Trump told Italian television that he had been asked to take a photo with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. In the interview, Trump claimed that the Italian leader “begged” for the picture and that he felt sorry for her.
Meloni, who was present in the G7 sidebar and openly friendly with Trump in 2025, strongly denied the story. She called the remarks “made‑up” and said she was “frankly stunned” by Trump’s accusation, adding that neither she nor Italy ever sought such favors from the American president.
The dispute comes after Trump publicly opposed Italy’s stance on the U.S. war with Iran and criticized Pope Leo‑XIV’s foreign policy. Meloni often tried to serve as an intermediary between Italy and Washington, but the two leaders’ recent interactions have eroded this relationship.
Italian officials, including President Sergio Mattarella and opposition senators, responded quickly to defend the country’s dignity. Members of the Brothers of Italy and the Five‑Star Movement warned that the U.S. president’s tone toward Rome was unacceptable, while the League’s Matteo Salvini declared that any “attack on Giorgia means an attack on all.”
Meloni’s Instagram address to her followers emphasized that the claimed incident was a mistake on Trump’s part, noting that she and Italy had never begged for any favors. The G7 summit photo of the two leaders has gone viral, but the official footage shows a cordial rapport that contrasts sharply with Trump’s narrative.
The U.S. has yet to respond to the Italian prime minister’s claims, and the incident has deepened suspicions about the reliability of the two leaders’ communications in a time when U.S. foreign policy seems to be in turmoil.
