An unusually public quarrel has erupted between US President Donald Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following the G7 meeting in Évian, France earlier this week.

The conflict began when Trump, in an interview with the Italian TV channel La7, claimed that Meloni had ‘asked’ or ‘begged’ to take a picture with him during the summit. According to Trump, the Italian head of government was desperate for a joint photo, and he said he agreed out of pity.

Meloni quickly responded in a video post on social media, forcefully dismissing the president’s version of events. She described Trump’s statement as ‘completely fabricated’ and said she was surprised that a close ally would invent such a story. In the video, she also emphasized that ‘neither I nor Italy beg.’

Meloni’s response drew significant attention, as she has typically been one of the European leaders with the best relationship to Trump.

The dispute did not stop there, however. On Friday, Trump repeated his accusations on Truth Social, claiming that Meloni had asked for a photo ‘again and again.’ He also asserted that the Italian Prime Minister is now trying to restore her relationship with him to bolster her position at home.

Meloni has not backed down from her criticism and continues to reject Trump’s account of the incident. According to several media outlets, her remarks have received support from both government representatives and parts of the Italian opposition.

The exchange of words has also had diplomatic consequences. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, canceled a planned trip to the USA and described Trump’s statements as offensive to both Meloni and to Italy. Several Italian politicians have defended the Prime Minister and criticized the US President’s comments.

From Close Allies to Open Conflict

The dispute stands out, since Trump and Meloni have for years been seen as political allies. When Meloni became Prime Minister in 2022, Trump lavished praise on her, describing her electoral win as a major victory for conservative forces. On several occasions he has highlighted her as a strong leader and one of his favorite politicians in Europe.

The relationship has also been marked by personally good contact. For a long time, Meloni was one of the European leaders closest to Trump and, among other things, attended his inauguration earlier in his second presidential term.

This spring, however, the relationship began to deteriorate after disagreements over the USA’s actions in the Middle East and other foreign policy issues. Despite several conversations between the leaders at the G7 summit, the disagreements now appear to have deepened further.

The latest exchange marks a clear break from the previously cordial relationship between the two leaders and has developed into one of the most notable diplomatic conflicts following this year’s G7 summit.

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