Italy’s top diplomat nixes US trip after Meloni says Trump fabricated story
Key takeaways
- The Italian prime minister has accused Trump of making up a story that she ‘begged’ him for a photo at the G7 summit in France.
- At issue is Trump’s claim that Meloni “begged” him for a photograph during the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in France earlier in the week.
- I didn’t have to talk to her,” Trump reportedly told the Italian La7 network.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Italian prime minister has accused Trump of making up a story that she ‘begged’ him for a photo at the G7 summit in France.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with US President Donald Trump during the G7 Summit in France earlier this week [Yoan Valat/EPA]By Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated Press Published On 19 Jun 202619 Jun 2026A diplomatic row between United States President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has escalated, with Italy’s top diplomat cancelling an upcoming visit to the US.
At issue is Trump’s claim that Meloni “begged” him for a photograph during the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in France earlier in the week.