Italy’s foreign minister canceled a scheduled trip to the United States on Friday after President Donald Trump said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni “begged” him for a photograph at the Group of Seven summit, remarks Meloni and her top diplomat rejected as false and offensive.
Antonio Tajani, who had been slated to travel to the U.S. this weekend, called Trump’s claim “serious and offensive,” according to a report by the Italian news agency ANSA cited by United Press International. Tajani’s office confirmed the cancellation Friday without providing further details.
Trump made the comment during the G7 meeting in Évian-les-Bains, a resort town in the Haute-Savoie region of France. The Italian television station La7 aired Trump’s remarks, which were dubbed in Italian.
“She begged me to take a photo with her,” Trump said. “I felt sorry for her. She’s probably happy I spoke to her.”
Meloni responded in a post on Instagram, denying the president’s account in forceful terms.
“Donald Trump’s statements are completely fabricated,” Meloni wrote. “I am frankly stunned. I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way toward his own allies. After all, this isn’t the first time this has happened.”
Meloni added: “But there is one thing he needs to remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg.”
Meloni was the only European leader to attend Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, a gesture that marked her as his closest partner on the continent. In the months since, the relationship has soured over policy differences.
Trump was critical of Meloni earlier this year for her vocal opposition to the U.S.-led war with Iran, which she called illegal, and for her disagreements with his approach to Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. Meloni has also pushed back publicly.
“I can only say that it’s a shame he doesn’t show the same resolve toward the enemies of the West, toward the enemies of the United States — toward leaders with whom he, on the other hand, is much more accommodating,” Meloni said in her Instagram post.
The incident represents the most personal breach yet between Trump and a European leader who had positioned herself as a bridge between Washington and Europe. Italy has been a key U.S. ally on security and counterterrorism, and Meloni’s government has maintained strong ties with both the Trump administration and European Union institutions.
Tajani’s canceled trip had been intended to address trade and diplomatic issues. No new date has been set.