Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly rejected President Donald Trump‘s claim that she “begged” him for a photograph at the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, calling the assertion “completely fabricated.” The dispute erupted on Thursday and escalated rapidly when Italy’s foreign minister cancelled a scheduled trip to the United States in response.
Trump made the remarks during an interview that aired on Italian broadcaster La7. When asked about the Ukraine conflict, he veered into a description of his interaction with Meloni at the summit, suggesting she had sought him out for a photo opportunity. Meloni responded in a video statement issued the same day, saying she was astonished by what she described as misleading comments about a close ally.
“This claim is completely fabricated,” Meloni said. She did not elaborate on what she said actually occurred between the two leaders at Evian, but her tone was notably firm. The statement was released through her office and published across Italian media within hours.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned visit to the United States on Thursday, citing Trump’s remarks as “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and toward Italy as a nation. Tajani described the comments as incompatible with the kind of exchange expected between allied governments.
Meloni and Trump had been considered close allies since her election in 2022. She was among the first European leaders to meet with Trump after his return to the White House in January 2025, and the two had presented a cordial front at multiple international meetings. The public break marks a significant change in tone between Rome and Washington.
The dispute has drawn attention across Europe, where governments have been watching Trump’s relationships with individual European leaders since the G7 concluded. The rift between Trump and Meloni is now the defining diplomatic story out of the Evian summit. Trump’s domestic approval numbers on economic issues have also declined recently.
The White House has not issued a formal response to Meloni’s statement or Tajani’s cancellation as of Friday morning. Trump’s team has not commented publicly on the Italian foreign minister’s decision to withdraw from the planned US visit.
Italy remains a key NATO ally. Rome has supported US positions on Ukraine aid and has been one of the more cooperative European capitals on defence spending targets. The full context of the G7 interaction between the two leaders remains disputed. Whether the cancellation will have a lasting effect on bilateral relations depends on whether either side moves to de-escalate in the coming days.
