KABUL (Pajhwok): A diplomatic row has erupted between the United States and Italy after US President Donald Trump claimed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph on the sidelines of the G7 summit, prompting Rome to cancel a planned diplomatic visit to Washington.
According to The Guardian, Trump made the comments during a telephone interview with Italian television channel La7. The interview, broadcast on Friday, June 19, was conducted after the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France.
In the interview, Trump reportedly said: “She’s probably happy that I spoke to her. I didn’t have to speak to her. She begged me for a picture. She wanted a picture with me so badly that, if I hadn’t felt sorry for her, I wouldn’t have done it.”
Following the remarks, Meloni released a video on Instagram titled “Italy and I Never Beg”, rejecting Trump’s comments as “completely fabricated” and saying she was astonished by the way the US president treated allies.
Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced the cancellation of his planned visit to the United States, scheduled for June 21–22.
Writing on X, he said: “President Trump’s serious and offensive remarks towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are an insult to all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States.”
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