A new diplomatic dispute has erupted between the United States and one of its closest allies, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sharply rebuking President Donald Trump after he claimed she had "begged" him for a photograph during last week's G7 summit.
Speaking in an interview aired by Italy's La7 television network, Trump described his meeting with Meloni at the G7 summit in France in dismissive terms.
"She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her," Trump said.
He went on to claim: "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."
The broadcaster aired a dubbed version of the interview rather than the original English audio.
Meloni responded within hours, forcefully rejecting Trump's account.
"Donald Trump's statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly stunned," she said in a video statement.
"I don't know why the President of the United States behaves this way toward his allies. It is not the first time."
The Italian leader also contrasted Trump's treatment of allies with what she described as his approach toward America's adversaries.
"I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence," Meloni said.
She concluded with a pointed message: "There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg."
The dispute prompted an immediate diplomatic response from Rome. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced he was canceling a planned visit to the United States, calling Trump's remarks "serious and offensive" and saying they had insulted not only Meloni but Italy as a whole.
The latest confrontation marks a significant deterioration in relations between Washington and Rome, only days after the G7 summit appeared to signal improving ties between the two conservative leaders following months of disagreements over the conflict with Iran and other foreign policy issues.
One of Meloni's closest advisers, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister Giovanbattista Fazzolari, accused Trump of damaging decades of transatlantic cooperation.
"It is unclear whether out of intent or ineptitude (Trump) is wrecking the historic relations between the United States and Europe," Fazzolari said.
"With his inappropriate outbursts, he has managed no easy feat, to make the United States unpopular across the entire European continent, damaging not only Europe but above all the United States."
Meloni had previously been regarded as one of Trump's closest allies in Europe and was the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025. Relations, however, have become increasingly strained in recent months over disagreements on the Iran conflict and other international issues.
The public exchange comes as relations between Washington and allied governments have faced renewed strains. It follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran, which many see as highly favorable to the Islamic Republic regime, as well as public friction between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding to concerns over the administration's increasingly confrontational tone toward longstanding partners.