Meloni fights back after Trump tells Italian TV she ‘begged’ for photo with him at G7
Meloni said he was “shocked” by his comments, which were “completely fabricated.” He accused him of treating the West’s enemies with far more respect than he did his old, established allies.
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The latest sighting marks a sharp deterioration in relations, coming just days after signs at the G7 summit that the two right-wing leaders were mending previously strained relations following tensions over this year’s war in Iran.
In the video shot at the event in France, Meloni and Trump were seen having a deep conversation, but the US leader claimed that he was spoiling Meloni by just chatting with him.
After he asked the journalist about the Italian prime minister, Trump was quoted as saying in a brief interview by La7 TV channel, “He’s probably happy that I talked to him. I didn’t have to talk to him.”
“He begged me to take a picture with him. He wanted to take a picture with me so bad. I wouldn’t have let it go, but I felt bad for him,” Trump said, according to La7’s translation. The channel did not air the original audio, only the dubbed version.
Meloni responded: “Donald Trump’s statements are completely fabricated. Frankly, I am astonished. I do not know why the President of the United States behaves this way against his allies; and this is not the first time.”
“I can only say that it is disappointing that the West and the United States do not show the same determination with their enemies; they treat their leaders with much greater tolerance,” he said. “One thing he must remember: neither I nor Italy will ever beg.”
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Meloni was once a strong supporter of Trump and is the only European leader to attend his inauguration in 2025.
But he later criticized the US president for lashing out at Pope Leo for his condemnation of the Iran conflict and for distancing himself from Trump after the war began. This prompted a harsh rebuke from the US leader, who accused him of lacking courage.
