US President Donald Trump has intensified his clash with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, insisting she repeatedly asked for a photograph with him during the Group of Seven summit in France and suggesting she was trying to improve her standing at home.
In a social media post, Trump said Meloni was doing poorly in Italy and wanted to be friends again to get her numbers up, after earlier claiming she had “begged” for a photo-op. Meloni, in turn, rejected the account and said Trump had invented the story.
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Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France. She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects… pic.twitter.com/58uCXdyMVc
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) June 20, 2026
Trump's claim meets a frosty rejoinder
The latest exchange followed a televised interview Trump gave to Italy’s La7 network, where he raised Meloni without prompting and said, according to the broadcaster’s translation, that she “begged” him for a picture and that he agreed because he “felt sorry for her.”
Trump later doubled down, writing that Meloni had asked “over and over” for a picture and adding that she was “doing poorly in Italy.”
Meloni responded on Instagram and in a video message, saying Trump’s comments were “completely fabricated” and that she was “frankly stunned” by the claim. “Italy and I do not beg,” she said, after describing his remarks as an attack on an ally.
Io e l’Italia non imploriamo mai. pic.twitter.com/sTpKlqWB67
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 19, 2026
From personal barb to state affair
The dispute quickly spilled beyond personal sparring and into diplomacy. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned trip to the United States, calling Trump’s claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and Italy.
In her reply, Meloni also said Trump had shown greater deference to “the enemies of the West” than to longtime allies, a line that reflected the deeper strain caused by the Iran war and broader disagreements over foreign policy.
Tensions between the two leaders surfaced at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, with Italy under pressure at home over its stance and Meloni’s government facing criticism over how closely it has aligned itself with Washington.
An alliance loses its polish
The row marks a sharp turn for a relationship that had once looked unusually close by European standards.
AP noted that Meloni had tried to position herself as a bridge between Washington and the European Union and had been the lone EU head of state to attend Trump’s inauguration.
The pair’s personal ties now appear “in tatters,” leaving Meloni exposed on the international stage and forcing her to confront criticism at home over a strategy built on flattery and proximity to Trump.
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FAQs
Q1: Why are Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni involved in a public feud?
Ans: The dispute erupted after Trump claimed Meloni repeatedly asked him for a photo at the G7 summit, a claim the Italian prime minister has strongly denied.
Q2: How did Italy respond to Trump's remarks about Meloni?
Ans: Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned U.S. trip and described Trump's comments as offensive to both Meloni and Italy.
