Trump-Meloni Photo Spat Escalates; Italy Scraps US
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- Trump escalated a war of words on June 20, 2026, claiming Meloni "asked, over and over, for a picture" with him at the G7 Summit in France and accusing her of wanting to "get her numbers up" after the US defeated Iran militarily
- Meloni responded on June 19, 2026 in a video statement captioned "Neither I nor Italy ever beg," calling Trump's claims "completely made up" and saying she was "astonished"
- Trump tied the dispute to substantive policy grievances, saying Italy refused to let the US use its landing strips or runways and "turned down the United States" on denying Iran a nuclear weapon
- Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled a planned visit to the US next week, underscoring the diplomatic damage from Trump's comments
- Meloni chided Trump for showing "far greater deference to the enemies of the West than he does towards old, established allies"
- The clash marks a sharp deterioration in ties after signs at the G7 that the two right-wing leaders had steadied a previously strained relationship, following earlier tensions in April when Trump turned on Meloni after she defended Pope Leo XIV
Why it matters: Italy's foreign minister scrapped a planned US visit — a tangible diplomatic cost beyond the rhetoric. The feud threatens Trump's relationship with one of Europe's few right-wing allies, now further complicated by Italy's refusal to grant US access to its airfields during the Iran military campaign.
