During the recent Group of Seven summit, President Donald Trump criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Trump claimed she repeatedly requested a photo with him, accusing Italy of insufficient cooperation during the Iran conflict. This dispute follows an interview with an Italian broadcaster where Trump asserted Meloni ‘begged’ for a photo opportunity at the G7 meeting in France. Meloni called these claims ‘completely fabricated.’

The disagreement led to Italy’s foreign minister canceling a planned visit to the United States. Meloni’s government supported her position against Trump’s assertions. Trump, while at Camp David, reiterated that Meloni asked ‘over and over’ for a picture during the G7 meeting and criticized her popularity in Italy, linking it to her stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Meloni responded via social media, calling the attacks ‘unprovoked’ and senseless. She contended that her popularity relies on defending Italy’s national interests, not on her relationship with Trump. Meloni’s statement emphasized that her popularity is independent of factors related to Trump.

The initial comments aired on the Italian network La7, where Trump addressed Meloni during a question about Ukraine. Trump’s remarks were broadcast with a dubbed translation, without the original English audio. Trump expressed regret about not taking the picture out of sympathy.

Trump also complained about Italy’s refusal to allow U.S. access to its landing strips during the Iran war, despite the U.S.’s defense spending leadership among NATO allies. This issue arises from Italy’s decision in March to restrict American bombers from using a base in Sicily, reflecting constitutional constraints and domestic opposition.

Meloni maintained that using Italian bases for offensive operations would require parliamentary approval. Trump alleged that Meloni sought reconciliation following the U.S.-Iran deal to end the conflict.

Silvia Stellacci from the Associated Press contributed to this report from Rome.