President Donald Trump criticized Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, claiming she repeatedly requested a photo with him at the recent Group of Seven (G7) summit. He also expressed dissatisfaction with Italy’s cooperation during the Iran conflict. Trump’s comments came after an interview with an Italian broadcaster where he claimed Meloni “begged” for the photo during the G7 meeting in France.
In response, Meloni dismissed Trump’s claims as “completely fabricated.” The situation escalated when Italy’s foreign minister canceled a planned trip to the United States, as Meloni’s government defended her position.
Trump’s social media post from Camp David included a misspelling of Meloni’s name, which he later corrected. He criticized her declining popularity in Italy, attributing it to her refusal to support the U.S. in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Meloni replied to Trump’s statements on Instagram, calling his attacks “senseless.” She emphasized that her popularity is tied to her defense of Italy’s national interests, not her relationship with Trump. She also suggested Trump focus on his popularity instead.
Trump’s initial remarks were part of an interview aired on the La7 network, where he unexpectedly shifted the conversation to Meloni. The broadcaster provided a dubbed version of the interview online.
Trump expressed frustration with Meloni’s decision to restrict the use of Italy’s bases during the Iran conflict. Despite the U.S.’s significant defense spending within NATO, Meloni insisted parliamentary approval was necessary for any offensive operations from Italian bases. Italy’s decision in March to restrict American bombers from using a base in Sicily reflected constitutional limitations and domestic opposition to the war.
On Saturday, Trump claimed Meloni wants to restore friendship amid the initial deal between the U.S. and Iran to end the conflict.
Associated Press writer Silvia Stellacci in Rome contributed to this report.
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