What began as a spat over a summit snapshot has now erupted into a full-blown diplomatic confrontation, with US President Donald Trump accusing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of repeatedly pressing him for a photo and tying the quarrel to disputes over Iran and NATO.
The episode has pushed an unusually personal divide into the open between Mr Trump and one of Europe’s best-known right-wing leaders — a politician who had worked to present herself as a conduit between Washington and the continent as Mr Trump returned to power.
In comments first aired by Italian broadcaster La7, Mr Trump said Ms Meloni had “begged” him for a picture at this week’s G7 summit in France, and claimed he agreed only because he “felt sorry for her.”
Ms Meloni rejected the account, saying it was “made up,” but Mr Trump repeated and sharpened the allegation in a Truth Social post, writing that she had asked “over and over” for a photograph during the summit.
He went further, suggesting she was trying to mend relations with Washington for domestic political gain after Italy did not back US action against Iran.
“Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up.’ No thanks!!!” Mr Trump wrote.
Donald Trump initially said that Giorgia Meloni ‘begged’ him for a picture
Mr Trump claimed Ms Meloni was doing “poorly in Italy,” and linked that to her refusal to allow the United States to use Italian “landing strips or runways” during the conflict with Iran.
He also returned to his long-standing criticism of NATO, arguing that Washington pours vast sums into protecting “so-called” allies, and said the United States spends hundreds of billions of dollars to defend Italy and other members.
His latest remarks marked a significant intensification of a dispute that had already sparked backlash in Rome.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called off a planned trip to the United States, saying Mr Trump’s “grave and offensive” words aimed at Ms Meloni “offend the whole of Italy”.
‘Stunned’
Ms Meloni, leader of Italy’s far-right Brothers of Italy party, said she was “frankly stunned” by Mr Trump’s initial statement.
“I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” she said in a video posted on X.
She also charged that Mr Trump showed more respect to the West’s opponents than to its partners.
“It’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating,” she said.
For months, Ms Meloni had invested in building a close relationship with Mr Trump while also trying to calm European allies uneasy about his second term.
After the G7 meeting in Evian, she had described the mood as “very positive,” insisting there was “no friction” between Mr Trump and fellow leaders.
Yet their relationship had already frayed amid the Middle East war.
In April, Mr Trump lashed out at Ms Meloni after she defended Pope Leo XIV from his criticism of the pontiff’s anti-war views, accusing the Italian prime minister of not doing enough to support the United States through NATO.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio described Mr Trump’s newest remarks as a “painful injury” to Italy-US ties, while Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said such “jokes do not benefit anyone”.
