Meloni Slams Trump’s Claim She ‘Begged’ for a Photo with Him as Italy’s Top Diplomat Cancels US Trip

The Italian government closed ranks on Friday to slam U.S. President Donald Trump over his claim that Premier Giorgia Meloni had “begged” for a photo with him during the recent G7 summit, a pushback that suggested America’s longtime European ally had had enough of Trump’s boasting and criticism.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a planned trip to the United States this weekend, calling Trump’s claims “serious and offensive” toward Meloni and all of Italy. The Foreign Ministry later announced that the business and scientific forum Tajani was to attend in Miami had also been called off.

Meloni for her part posted a video calling Trump’s claims “completely fabricated” and expressing astonishment that he would invent such things about an ally.

“Italy and I do not beg,” she said pointedly. (Read more from “Meloni slams Trump’s claim she ‘begged’ for a photo with him as Italy’s top diplomat cancels US trip” HERE)