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The ‘extraordinary rift’ between Trump and Italy
Posted
June 20, 2026
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171,343
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June 20, 2026
171,343
2,605
743
1.95%
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8:10Now PlayingUPDATE | Since we posted this, Trump has doubled down on his claim: “Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia [his spelling] Meloni asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France. She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America, a Country that truly loves and protects Italy, when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!).”
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Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni have long been seen as political allies, appearing together at international summits and often sharing similar positions on key issues.
But their relationship has come under unprecedented strain after Trump reportedly claimed that the Italian prime minister “begged” him for a photo at the G7 summit and that he only agreed “out of pity” - remarks that sparked a diplomatic storm in Italy.
Meloni strongly denied the allegations, telling her millions of followers: “Neither I nor Italy ever beg.” The backlash was swift, with politicians across the Italian political spectrum rallying behind the prime minister and condemning Trump’s comments as an insult not just to Meloni, but to Italy itself.
LBC's Margherita Santus spoke to La Repubblica journalist Antonello Guerrera, who explained why the row has united Italy behind Meloni, the questions surrounding the original audio of Trump’s comments, and whether this could mark a significant shift in the relationship between two leaders once described as “political soulmates”.
The fallout also comes after a series of disagreements between Rome and Washington over issues including Iran, the Middle East, and Italy’s increasingly close alignment with its European partners.
It will be the only time Italy will be kicking off in America this summer, having failed to qualify for the World Cup.
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#trump #donaldtrump #politics #italy #usa #usnews #uspolitics #giorgiameloni #meloni #news #debate #iranwar #g7 #g7summit #g7meeting #LBC
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