The aftermath of the recent G7 summit in Evian has triggered a major US-Italy diplomatic scandal. Reports of unity among allies at the Hôtel Royal have been quickly replaced by a personal backroom dispute.
Relations between the United States and Italy, which local media had previously described as warming, have hit a new low. A sudden statement by U.S. President Donald Trump has offended Rome’s national pride, prompting Italian ministers to cancel planned trips to the U.S.
Tajani Responds to US-Italy Diplomatic Scandal
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani initiated the diplomatic response. On June 19, 2026, Tajani officially announced on social media that he was canceling an official working visit to the United States scheduled for June 21 and 22.
“The serious and offensive remarks made by President Trump regarding Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni insult all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States,” Tajani wrote.
Defense Minister Guido Crosetto also criticized the U.S. president’s behavior, calling it another public “gaffe.” Crosetto stated that he could not imagine Meloni begging anyone for a selfie, adding that Rome had made significant efforts to overlook Trump’s previous remarks to maintain transatlantic unity.
The La7 Interview: ‘I Felt Sorry for Her’
The dispute was triggered by a recent interview Donald Trump gave to the Italian television channel La7. Speaking about the G7 leaders in Evian, the U.S. president made dismissive remarks about the Italian prime minister.
Trump told the interviewer that Meloni had followed him through the corridors of the Hôtel Royal to get a photograph. “She’s probably happy I spoke to her. I didn’t have to speak to her… She begged me to take a picture with her! She wanted to take a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have done it, but I felt sorry for her,” Trump said.
The dispute builds on a previous disagreement from earlier this spring. The two leaders had clashed over the Middle East after Pope Leo XIV called for peace in the region, which Trump strongly criticized. Meloni called the U.S. president’s remarks unacceptable, prompting Trump to accuse Meloni of a “lack of courage” and declare their friendship over. The comments about the Evian photograph appear to be a continuation of this personal dispute.
Meloni’s Response: ‘Italy Never Begs’
Giorgia Meloni responded by releasing a video address to the nation, rejecting the U.S. president’s account and calling the story entirely fabricated. The Italian prime minister expressed disappointment at how the leader of a major ally was treating a key NATO partner.
“I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same resolve toward the enemies of the West and the United States, whose leaders he treats with much more leniency. There is one thing he must remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg,” Meloni said.