Meloni Slams Trump for 'Begging' Photo Insult Amid Diplomatic Fallout
President Trump’s outrageous claim that Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “begged” him for a photo at the G7 summit has ignited a firestorm, with Meloni declaring she is “appalled” and asserting, “Italy and I never beg.”
In a blistering Instagram video, Meloni slammed Trump’s statements as “completely fabricated,” expressing disbelief at the behavior of the President of the United States towards his allies. She noted, “I don’t know why the President of the United States behaves this way towards his allies; after all, it’s not the first time it’s happened.”
Meloni criticized Trump for lacking the same resolve against the true adversaries of the West, stating, “It’s a pity that he doesn’t show the same determination with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States.”
In response to the escalating tensions, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced on X that he was canceling a planned visit to the US next week. He stated, “The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy.”
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto weighed in, saying, “I can’t imagine @GiorgiaMeloni asking anyone for a photo, not even under threat.” He acknowledged the difficulty Meloni faced in setting aside Trump’s previous comments to prioritize Italy’s interests.
Crosetto further lamented that such “lapse in style” from Trump does no good for anyone involved: “What hurts is that jokes of this kind do no good to anyone: neither to the USA, nor to Italy, nor to the alliance.”
Once seen as an ally to Trump, Meloni has distanced herself over critical global issues. The Italian leader has sided with European counterparts regarding the Iran war and defended Pope Leo XIV after Trump criticized the pontiff for his stance on US military actions in the Middle East.
During the G7 summit held at Evian-les-Bains, Trump and Meloni were spotted engaged in conversation. Trump later remarked, “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her. She begged me to take a photo with her. She wanted a photo with me so much. I wouldn’t have even done it, but I felt sorry for her.”
The broadcaster aired a dubbed version of Trump’s interview without releasing actual audio of his remarks about Meloni. The White House has yet to respond to requests for comment.
