On June 21, former U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to launch a barrage of accusations against Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Mel‑oni. Trump claimed that the Italian leader “begged” him repeatedly for an on‑stage photo during the G7 summit in Évian, France.
In the post, Trump went further, alleging that Mel‑oni withheld U.S. air‑support for the country’s military operation in Iran and slammed her for not backing U.S. efforts to “deny” Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He added that she was “doing poorly” in Italy and that she would try to improve her standing by attempting to befriend the U.S. after the latter defeated Iran militarily.
Mel‑oni quickly countered through a video on Instagram, saying she was “frankly stunned” by Trump’s remarks and that she never asked for a photo. She urged Trump to recognize that neither she nor Italy ever begged for favors from the United States.
The exchange is the latest in a series of public spats between the two leaders, which also included Trump’s criticism of Pope Leo XIV over foreign policy and Mel‑oni’s insistence that the bilateral ties remain intact.
Diplomatic fallout remains wide‑ranging, as Italy has already denied U.S. military aircraft permission to land at its Sigonella base for operations against Iran, and its foreign minister has postponed a trip to Washington. The rift underscores mounting tensions following Trump’s 2024 military action against Iran and the broader reassessment of U.S. alliances in Europe.
