Meloni left ‘stunned’ after Trump claims she begged him for a photo

Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni , has said Donald Trump “totally invented” a story about her after the US president claimed she begged him to take a photo with her during the G7 summit. The two former allies had appeared to be getting their relationship back on track by having several one-to-ones on the sidelines at the gathering in Évian after falling out in April over the US-Israeli war in Iran. But referring to Meloni during a brief interview with Italy’s La7 – a dubbed version of which was broadcast by the Italian TV network on Friday – Trump said: “She’s probably happy I talked to her. I didn’t have to talk to her. 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.” The remarks provoked fury in Italy and words of solidarity for Meloni from across the political spectrum, with Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, saying he had cancelled a trip to the US next week. Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni talk after posing for a group photo at the G7 summit. Photograph: Christian Hartmann/Reuters Responding in a video post on Instagram with the caption “Italy and I never beg”, Meloni said “some things deserve an immediate response”. “Donald Trump’s declarations are totally invented,” she added. “Frankly, I am stunned. I don’t know why the US president behaves this way towards his allies. …