Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and US president Donald Trump are presently active in an expanding public dispute, which means a serious deterioration of relationships previously recognized as 1 of the strongest right-wing alliances in transatlantic politics.
Controversy around the image from the G7 summit – a public dispute broke out in mid-June 2026 after the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Trump's claim: In an interview with an Italian tv station, president Trump stated that Meloni repeatedly “begged” him for a photograph at the summit, adding that he only agreed to it due to the fact that he “was sorry for her.”
Riposta Meloni: Meloni rapidly reacted on social media, describing Trump's account as "totally imaginary" and firmly stating, "Neither I nor Italy nor I always beg." She besides criticized Trump for hostile treatment of Western allies while showing much greater reconciliation to Western opponents.
Meme about the "prohibit of approaching": On July 5, 2026 Trump fueled the tension by sharing on fact Social a photograph of a smiling Meloni who looks at him from the bottom; the painting was signed with a "POOR PROHIBITION OF APPROACHING" to make her laughter and propose that she was obsessed with him.
Although public disputes have centered around photos of G7 leaders, there are serious differences of opinion about state sovereignty and military strategy at the origin of the conflict. The issue of the war with Iran: the relation deteriorated importantly erstwhile Italy refused to let US bombers to usage Italian bases and runways to carry out attacks on Iran. Meloni stressed that the usage of Italian bases is governed by agreements requiring Parliament's approval, and these rules must not be broken.
The Pope's criticism: Tensions had already increased the same year erstwhile Meloni criticized Trump for attacking Pope Leon XIV's anti-war views, prompting Trump to publically accuse her of deficiency of courage. Disputes of popularity: Trump suggested that support for Meloni in Italy is dropping sharply due to her refusal to support the US in actions against Iran. Meloni replied that her popularity stems from her ability to defend Italian national interests, and suggested that Trump alternatively focus on his own endorsement indicators.
This dispute led to an active diplomatic crisis on the Rome–Washington line. Following Trump's first statements, Italian abroad Minister Antonio Tajani cancelled an authoritative high-level visit to the United States, calling Trump's words "serious and offensive" to the full of Italy.
Despite individual tensions, representatives of the Italian government – including the defence minister Guido Crosetto – sought to underestimate the long-term impact of this situation on global relations before the NATO summit in Turkey, stressing that "people come and go but relationships remain". Watch the footage of how the photograph dispute during the G7 summit led to a wider crack in transatlantic relations against the background of military strategy:
'Restraining order needed': Trump escalates Meloni feud | planet News | Sky News
