Giorgia Meloni and former U.S. President Donald Trump share a moment at the G7 summit in Evian, France, June 17
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, in a message posted on Truth Social, accused Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of repeatedly begging him for a photo during the G7 summit in France. He claimed the request was a “great logistical inconvenience” after Italy refused to allow U.S. military aircraft to use Sigonella airbase for operations against Iran.
Trump also blasted Meloni’s stance on Iran, saying she failed to support U.S. efforts to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon and implying she was “looking to lift her popularity” after the U.S. struck Iran militarily. In subsequent posts, the former president suggested she was “doing poorly” within Italy and that she would welcome a remake of friendly ties for “numbers.”
Giorgia Meloni dismissed the allegations as a fabrication, stating in an Instagram video that she was “frankly stunned” and that “neither she nor Italy ever beg.” She called Trump’s remarks “unacceptable” and highlighted that the relationship between Italy and the United States remains unchanged, noting there had been no recriminations at the summit level.
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions over the U.S. drone strike on Iranian forces earlier in the year and following Italy’s refusal to allow U.S. aircraft to land at its Sigonella base. Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani also postponed a visit to the U.S., signalling a growing fraying of diplomatic ties between the two allies. Nonetheless, both leaders have a history of cooperation, with Meloni as the only European head of state to sit in on Trump’s inauguration in January 2025.
