Italy's Top Diplomat Cancels US Trip Amid Trump-Meloni Diplomatic Row

The Diplomatic Row

A diplomatic row between United States President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has escalated, with Italy's top diplomat cancelling an upcoming visit to the US.

At issue is Trump's claim that Meloni 'begged' him for a photograph during the Group of Seven (G7) meeting in France earlier in the week.

Trump's Statements

Trump reportedly told the Italian La7 network that Meloni 'begged' him to take a picture with her. He said, 'She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her.'

Meloni responded in a video, saying that Trump's statements were 'completely fabricated' and that she was 'frankly stunned' by his behavior.

The Impact on Italy-US Relations

The pair have diverged during Trump's second term over several issues, including support for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, the US-Israeli war with Iran, Trump's threats to seize the Danish territory of Greenland and his criticism of Pope Leo.

Meloni accused Trump of being 'much more accommodating' to foes than allies, saying 'But there's one thing he must remember: Italy and I do not beg.'

The Cancellation of the US Trip

Shortly after Meloni posted the video, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he was cancelling a weekend trip to the US, where he was scheduled to attend a business forum in Miami, Florida and meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

He called Trump's reported statements 'serious and offensive'. Several other government officials also weighed in.