Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni has strongly responded to Donald Trump’s claims that she repeatedly requested a photo with him at the recent G7 summit. The dispute arose when Trump stated in an interview that Meloni had “begged” for the photo during their meeting in France, an assertion Meloni dismissed as “completely fabricated.”

The confrontation has escalated with neither party showing signs of backing down, resulting in Italy’s foreign minister canceling a scheduled trip to the United States. Following Trump’s remarks on Truth Social criticizing Meloni’s performance in Italy and her decision to deny US use of military bases for the Iran war, Meloni issued a stern reply, pointing out his declining popularity among American voters.

Meloni emphasized that her popularity is not influenced by her relationship with Trump but rather by her commitment to defending Italy’s national interests, including the decision on American military bases in Italy. She made it clear that Italy’s sovereignty is paramount and the existing agreements must be respected. Meloni concluded by suggesting that Trump focus on his own popularity rather than hers.

Trump’s initial post on Truth Social, where he claimed Meloni persistently sought a photo with him at the G7 meeting and criticized her decisions regarding US military presence in Italy, was later corrected for misspelling Meloni’s name. This incident marks a further strain in the relationship between the two right-wing populist leaders, who had previously appeared to be allies.

Tensions between Meloni and Trump began to surface after he made questionable remarks about her appearance at a previous summit and escalated further due to disagreements over military actions against Iran and verbal attacks on Pope Leo. The latest clash signals a significant rift in the once seemingly friendly relations between the two leaders.