Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused her close ally, US President Donald Trump, of entirely fabricating a story about her. Trump told an Italian TV channel on Friday that Meloni had 'begged' him to take a photo with her at the G7 summit. Meloni said she was 'astonished' by his comments, which were 'completely made up.'
Trump's Claims
Footage from the summit showed Meloni and Trump deep in conversation, sitting next to each other on a small sofa. 'She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her,' Trump was quoted as saying by La7 TV channel in a brief interview, after he himself asked the journalist about Italy's prime minister. 'She begged me to take a picture with her. She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her,' Trump said, according to La7's translation.
Meloni's Response
Meloni quickly dismissed the claims, emphasizing that the interaction was cordial and that she had not requested any photo. The incident has sparked a diplomatic row between the two nations, with Meloni's office issuing a statement denying the allegations.
This is a breaking news story. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
