Trump Renews Criticism of Meloni Over G7 Photo Claim

U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, renewing accusations that she repeatedly sought a photograph with him during the recent G7 summit and criticizing her stance on issues related to Iran.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Meloni asked for a photo with him multiple times at the summit and suggested her popularity in Italy was declining. He also accused the Italian leader of failing to support U.S. efforts aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring or developing a nuclear weapon.

Trump further referenced Italy’s decision to deny permission for U.S. military aircraft to land at one of its bases shortly after Operation Epic Fury was launched against Iran, a move that has remained a point of contention between the two governments.

Meloni responded on Saturday, dismissing Trump’s remarks as unjustified and unnecessary. She said his repeated attacks made little sense and emphasized that her standing with Italian voters was not tied to her relationship with the U.S. president. Addressing the controversy surrounding the G7 summit, she reiterated comments made a day earlier, when she rejected Trump’s assertion that she had sought a photo with him, stating she was surprised by the claim and insisting that neither she nor Italy had ever needed to ask for such treatment.

Despite Meloni’s denial, Trump repeated the allegation on Friday, describing her as a former admirer while criticizing her and other NATO allies over their position regarding developments linked to the Strait of Hormuz. As of Saturday, Meloni had not issued any further public response to Trump’s latest comments.

In her statement, Meloni stressed that her political support depends on her ability to safeguard Italy’s national interests. She also defended Italy’s handling of U.S. military base access, noting that such matters are governed by longstanding agreements that must be respected. Meloni underscored Italy’s sovereignty and suggested Trump focus on his own popularity rather than commenting on hers.

The diplomatic disagreement also prompted a reaction from Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who canceled a planned visit to the United States scheduled for Sunday. Tajani described Trump’s remarks as serious and offensive to Italy. He had been expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the trip.

Although Trump and Meloni share similarities on several domestic policy issues, tensions between the two leaders have increasingly emerged on foreign policy matters. Meloni has strongly backed Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, while Trump has taken a more transactional approach toward Kyiv. Trump has also expressed frustration over Italy’s refusal to allow U.S. military aircraft access to an Italian base, a request that Reuters reported was made without prior consultation with Italian military authorities.

Relations between the two leaders were further strained earlier this year when Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV, calling him weak on crime and ineffective on foreign policy. Meloni condemned those remarks as unacceptable, prompting Trump to question her political courage and deepening the rift between the two longtime ideological allies.