Italy fumes after Trump mocks PM Meloni, foreign minister cancels US trip

Italy reacted with strong disapproval following reported comments by US President Donald Trump that appeared to mock Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The Italian foreign minister announced the cancellation of a planned trip to the United States in protest.

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Neither I nor Italy ever beg.

Meloni stated she was "frankly stunned" by Trump's remarks, which were reportedly made during a phone interview with Italian channel La7. According to a transcript, Trump claimed Meloni "begged me for a picture" at the recent G7 summit, and he only complied because he "felt sorry for her." He also suggested Meloni was "happy that I talked to her, I didn’t have to talk to her."

Prime Minister Meloni dismissed the comments as "made up," asserting, "Neither I nor Italy ever beg." She questioned Trump's conduct towards allies and contrasted it with his approach to adversaries. "I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West... with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating," she said in a video posted on X.

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I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani described Trump's words as "grave and offensive" on X, leading him to cancel his planned visit to the US for June 21-22. The State Department confirmed the cancellation of a business conference in Miami where Tajani was scheduled to speak. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio called the comments a "painful injury" to Italy-US relations, while Defence Minister Guido Crosetto remarked that "these jokes do not benefit anyone."

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I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating.

This incident follows a previous strain in their relationship in April, when Trump criticized Meloni for defending Pope Leo XIV against his harsh remarks about the pontiff's anti-war views. At the time, Trump expressed shock at Meloni, stating, "I thought she had courage, but I was wrong." He also accused her of not assisting the United States with NATO and threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy, claiming Rome had not been helpful in the Iran war.

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Trump’s words are grave and offensive.