President Donald Trump continued his disagreement with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, insisting she “begged” for a photograph of them collectively at this week’s G7 summit, regardless of denials from Meloni and pushback from Italian ministers.
Trump repeated the declare in a social media publish that the prime minister requested “time and again” for a photograph with him. Meloni stated Trump’s declare is “fabricated.”
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is proven in Rome on Could 21, 2024. | President Donald Trump speaks within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 14, 2025.
Andreas Solaro, Mandel Ngan/AFP through Getty Photos
Trump additionally slammed Meloni for her perceived lack of help for the U.S.’s struggle in Iran.
“She is doing poorly in Italy along with her degree of recognition, presumably as a result of she turned down the USA of America, a Nation that really loves and protects Italy, when it got here to denying Iran from acquiring or growing a Nuclear Weapon (However so did NATO, for that matter!),” the president stated in his publish.
“She would not even allow us to use Italy’s touchdown strips or runways, a fantastic logistical inconvenience, and this regardless of the very fact the U.S. contributes a whole lot of Billions of {Dollars} a 12 months to guard Italy, and different ‘so-called’ NATO Allies,” he added.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to ABC Information’ request for remark.
Meloni snapped again on Trump along with her personal social media post later within the morning which shared a display screen shot of the president’s publish together with a message by her written in English.
President Donald Trump, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and French President Emmanuel Macron are on their option to working session at Lodge Royal in the course of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, June 16, 2026.
Yoan Valat/EPA through Shutterstock
The prime minister known as the president’s assaults “unprovoked” and “mindless.”
“As for my recognition, being your buddy has definitely not helped it, nor does it depend upon my relationship with you. My recognition is determined by my skill to defend Italy’s nationwide curiosity, and that’s precisely what I’ve at all times achieved,” Meloni stated.
The prime minister reiterated Italy’s help of the U.S. and her nation’s help of U.S. army bases in her nation.
“In any case, my recognition is none of your concern. I recommend you concentrate on yours,” she stated to Trump.
Meloni stated in her publish in Italian that she wouldn’t revisit the topic.
The feud stems from an interview that Trump gave with an Italian journalist the place he claimed Meloni “begged” to have the photograph taken.
On this handout image launched by the Palazzo Chigi Press Workplace, President Donald Trump speaks with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the course of the G7 summit, in Evian, japanese France, on June 17, 2026.
Palazzo Chigi Press Workplace through AFP through Getty Photos
“She wished a photograph with me so badly,” Trump stated within the interview that aired Friday. “I might have skipped it, however I felt sorry for her.”
Meloni went on social media Friday and denied Trump’s claims.
“I do not know why the President of the USA is behaving this fashion together with his allies; it is not the primary time it occurs in any case,” she stated in Italian.
“I can solely say that I am sorry he would not have the identical willpower with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the USA, with leaderships with which as a substitute he seems to be far more accommodating. However he has to recollect one factor: I and Italy by no means beg,” she added.
Trump’s feedback about Meloni additionally created a commotion in political circles in Italy.
Italian deputy premier and overseas minister Antonio Tajani stated he known as off his go to to the USA deliberate for Sunday and Monday following Trump’s feedback.
“President Trump’s severe and offensive phrases in direction of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy,” Tajani stated in Italian in an X post on Friday.
President Donald Trump speaks with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz subsequent to Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni throughout a piece lunch as a part of the G7 summit, in Evian, japanese France, on June 16, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein, Pool through AFP through Getty Photos
Throughout an occasion on the overseas ministry in Rome in a while Friday, Tajani added, “nobody is allowed to offend Italy just like the U.S. did.”
Different Italian politicians, together with opposition celebration members, have come out in help of Meloni whereas additionally arguing this reveals that being too acquiescent with the U.S. administration is counterproductive.
“I’ve nothing in frequent with Meloni, who boasted about being a bridge (between Trump’s American and the EU), and the Proper. However nobody can deal with Italy this fashion,” Filippo Sensi, a senator for the centre-left Democratic Celebration, stated in an X post Friday.
-ABC Information’ Phoebe Natanson contributed to this report.
