Trump falsely claims Italian PM Meloni 'begged' for photo at G7, sparking diplomatic rebuke

President Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 'begged' him for a photo at the G7 summit, saying 'She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her.' Meloni immediately responded via video, calling Trump's claims 'completely fabricated' and stating 'Italy and I do not beg.' Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani canceled a planned U.S. trip, calling Trump's remarks 'serious and offensive' toward Meloni and all of Italy. Trump doubled down on his claims despite the diplomatic fallout. The incident marks a significant rupture with a longtime ally, with Meloni expressing astonishment that Trump would invent such stories about a partner nation. This follows a pattern of Trump making false or demeaning claims about world leaders, particularly women leaders.

"She begged me to take a picture with her! She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her." — Trump's statement to Italian broadcaster La7 about Prime Minister Meloni at the G7 summit