Trump Claims Meloni Begged Him For A Photo At G7 Summit, Italian PM Says 'Completely Made Up'

Last Updated:June 19, 2026, 16:31 IST

Trump claimed Meloni had "begged" him for a photograph at the recent G7 Summit. Meloni swiftly rejected the assertion, saying she and Italy "never beg".

US President Donald Trump sparked a controversy after claiming that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had “begged" him for a photograph at the recent G7 Summit in France. Meloni swiftly rejected the assertion, dismissing it as “completely made up."

In an exclusive phone interview with an Italian media outlet, Trump claimed Meloni had “begged" him to take a photograph with her, adding that he agreed only because he “felt sorry" for her, reigniting a debate between the two leaders.

Trump and Meloni met at the G7 Summit held in Evian, France from June 15 to 17.

Meloni Hits Back At Trump’s Claim

Meloni shared a video on her X handle, calling Trump’s claims “completely made up" and saying this was not the first time the US president has made disparaging remarks about his own allies.

“Donald Trump’s statements are completely made up, I’m frankly appalled. I don’t know why the President of the United States behaves this way with his own allies; after all, it’s not the first time it’s happened," she said in the video.

“I can only say it’s a shame that he doesn’t show the same determination with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States, with leaderships toward which he instead proves much more accommodating. However, one thing he must remember: I and Italy never beg," she added.

About the Author

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int...Read More

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