Giorgio Meloni was reacting after US President Donald Trump claimed on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier this week that Italy’s prime minister “begged” him to take a picture with him, and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned visit to the US.
Meloni posted a short video clip on social media, saying that “neither she, nor Italy, ever begs anyone,” the Guardian reported.
Io e l’Italia non imploriamo mai. pic.twitter.com/sTpKlqWB67
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 19, 2026
On the sidelines of the summit, Trump reportedly said, “She begged me to take a picture with her! She wanted a picture with me so bad. I wouldn’t even take a picture, but I felt sorry for her.”
The Italian prime minister said she was “appalled” by the “completely fabricated” claims made by Trump.
“I don’t know why the president of the United States treats his allies this way – this is not the first time. I can only say that it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination towards the enemies of the West and the United States, whose leaders, on the contrary, he treats with far more favor.”
Le grave e offensive parole del Presidente Trump nei confrontaciones del Presidente del Consiglio Giorgia Meloni offendedo tutta l’Italia. Per questo motivo ho deciso di annulare la mia visita negli Stati Uniti prevista per i prossimi 21 e 22 giugno.
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) June 19, 2026
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also canceled a planned visit to the United States in response.
“President Trump’s serious and insulting words to Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni insult the whole of Italy. That is why I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for June 21 and 22,” he stated on the X network.
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