Trump, Meloni trade fresh barbs over G7 photo as envoy visit cancelled
President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni traded insults over a disputed G7 photo, with Trump accusing her of ingratitude over the Iran war and Meloni retorting that his attacks were “senseless.”
The G7 photo claim
Trump told Italian television on Friday that Meloni "begged" him for a picture at the recent G7 summit in Evian, France, saying he agreed only because he "felt sorry for her." Meloni immediately called the story "completely fabricated." Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned trip to Washington later that day, describing the remarks as "grave and offensive" to the whole of Italy.
Trump's words offend the whole of Italy.
Escalation on social media
On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Meloni had asked "over and over" for the photograph while the U.S. president was at Camp David. He linked her domestic standing to the dispute over Iran, writing that she was "doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States." He closed with "No thanks!!!"
Now, after the United States defeated Iran militarily, she wants to be friends again in order to get her 'numbers up.'
Meloni fired back minutes later on Instagram. She called the repeated attacks "senseless," argued that being Trump's friend had hurt her own popularity, and told him to concentrate on his own.
As for my popularity, being your friend certainly has not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you. I suggest you focus on yours.
- Trump tells Italian TV that Meloni begged for a photo at the G7 summit; Meloni calls the story 'completely fabricated.'
- Italian Foreign Minister Tajani cancels a planned trip to Washington over the 'grave and offensive' remarks.
- Trump posts on Truth Social, accusing Meloni of repeatedly asking for a picture, linking her poll numbers to the Iran row and saying 'No thanks!!!'
- Meloni responds on Instagram, calling attacks 'senseless,' arguing that being Trump's friend hurt her popularity and telling him to focus on his own issues.
Iran war and military cooperation
Trump's Saturday post also revived complaints that Italy refused to allow U.S. aircraft to use landing strips during the conflict with Iran. In March, Rome denied American bombers bound for the Middle East permission to use the Sigonella base in Sicily without parliamentary approval. Trump described the restriction as "a significant logistical disadvantage." Meloni defended the decision, stating that Italy acted under existing agreements and that the matter concerned national sovereignty, not personal popularity.
Political fallout
The public exchange has deepened a rift that had been widening for months. Meloni, who was once viewed as a bridge between the Trump administration and Europe, distanced herself after Trump's tariff announcements, the Greenland dispute, and his verbal attack on Pope Leo XIV, which she called "unacceptable." The Italian press rallied behind Meloni; one newspaper insulted Trump in vulgar terms on its front page Saturday. The row adds a new bilateral crisis at a moment of already strained transatlantic relations.
