Meloni Rejects Trump's Claim She 'Begged' for G7 Photo

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has strongly denied former U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that she 'begged' for a photo during the recent G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. According to multiple reports, Trump initially made the allegation in an interview with Italian TV channel La7 and later doubled down on his claims via Truth Social.

Meloni responded immediately from a European Union summit in Brussels, calling Trump's account 'completely fabricated and offensive.' She emphasized that 'neither I nor Italy ever beg,' according to Sky News, Fox News, and other outlets. The Italian government expressed outrage, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceling his planned trip to the United States this weekend.

The relationship between Meloni and Trump has been strained over several issues, including U.S. policy on Iran and Ukraine, as well as tariffs and strong U.S. support for Israel amid its war in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, Trump accused Meloni of trying to repair relations with Washington for domestic political reasons after Italy failed to support US action against Iran.

The diplomatic row escalated further as Justice Minister Carlo Nordio suggested Trump’s remarks besmirched the legacy of U.S. soldiers who died during World War II, while Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that he did not believe Meloni would ever beg for a photo 'not even under threat.' The White House has yet to respond to Meloni's comments.

In a video posted on X, Meloni said she was 'stunned' by Trump's statements and questioned why the U.S. president behaves this way toward his own allies. She also noted that it was not the first time such behavior had been observed from Trump. The Italian government has pushed back forcefully against Trump's comments, with politicians across all sides rallying around Meloni.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the issue and the accuracy of Trump's quotes. NPR reported that independent verification of Trump's exact words in English is impossible as La7 has only released a dubbed Italian translation of the audio, according to NPR. According to Fox News, political analysts suggest Meloni's response may be a calculated strategy aimed at boosting her standing domestically ahead of Italy's 2027 general election. Mattia Diletti, a political science lecturer at Sapienza University of Rome, stated that Meloni likely calculated there would be no tangible consequences other than an increase in her domestic and international standing.

Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Rome’s Luiss University, told the Financial Times that the row would offer a 'positive image' for Meloni and a 'silver lining' to a confrontation she had 'desperately tried to avoid.' As the 2027 Italian general election approaches, Meloni is facing declining approval ratings, and countering Trump's unpopularity in Europe may help bolster her support.

Trump’s remarks posted Saturday deepen the dispute that began with his interview last week with an Italian broadcaster. He continued to criticize what he said was Italy’s lack of cooperation during the Iran war. Meloni soon responded again, saying in a statement to Trump that “these constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless.”

Meloni’s domestic polling numbers, like Trump’s, have been sagging, dipping below 40% approval in recent surveys.