Giorgia Meloni responded swiftly to remarks made by President Donald Trump. The Italian Prime Minister stated, “I and Italy never beg,” refuting Trump’s claim she had sought a photo opportunity with him at the recent Group of Seven summit.

The controversy began when Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 that Meloni had pleaded for a photo during the summit in Evian-les-Bains, France. Trump remarked, “She begged me to take a photo with her. She wanted a photo with me so badly. I could have skipped it, but I felt sorry for her.” This comment was featured in a brief interview on La7’s website.

Meloni expressed her surprise at Trump’s statement and criticized his approach to international relations. She suggested his treatment of Western allies lacked respect compared to his interactions with adversaries. “I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,” Meloni commented, noting this was not an isolated incident.

This seemed to reference an earlier interview Trump gave to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, where he had criticized Meloni for her stance on the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. At that time, Meloni had chosen not to respond publicly.

The situation intensified when Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned Trump’s comments as “serious” and “offensive” to Italy. Consequently, Tajani canceled his planned visit to the U.S. the following week.

Video footage from the G7 summit depicted Meloni and Trump in an extended conversation on a small sofa, yet Trump characterized the exchange as a favor on his part. “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her,” Trump told La7, having introduced the topic of Meloni himself during the interview.

The broadcast of the interview included only a dubbed version, with the original audio not released. Another video showed Meloni animatedly speaking while Trump listened impassively.

Meloni was once seen as one of Trump’s staunchest allies in Europe, attending his inauguration in January 2025 as the sole European leader present. Trump had previously spoken highly of Meloni and her right-wing populist Brothers of Italy party, acknowledging their influence in European politics.

This recent exchange marks a significant downturn in their relationship. Earlier this year, Meloni openly criticized Trump for his comments against Pope Leo XIV’s stance on the Iran war. Trump retorted by accusing Meloni of lacking bravery, exacerbating the frictions within their political association.